Staff Shake-up in Attleboro Schools

There has been a lot of movement in Attleboro schools lately. First with the departures of Brennan Middle School Assistant Principal Mark Donnelly and Coelho Middle School Assistant Principal Patricia Knox.

And now, another school leader is heading out the door. Hill-Roberts Elementary’s current principal Matthew Joseph will be leaving the Attleboro School District at the end of the school year. 

Joseph, who was principal for five years, will be heading to Memorial Elementary in Natick starting July 1 and said he chose to pursue the change because it was closer to home and a new challenge that he was ready to take on.

“Hill-Roberts will always be a special place to me,” Joseph said at the Attleboro School Committee meeting Monday night. “The families have been amazing to me.” “I’m very sad to see him go. I wish him the best of luck,” Superintendent Pia Durkin said.

Joseph will be replaced on an interim basis for next year by Sue Nascimento. Nascimento has been in the district for the past 12 years, most recently at Peter Thacher Elementary. Nascimento will be working will Joseph over the next four weeks. “He has extended his support over the past few weeks to ensure a smooth transition for the staff and students,” Nascimento said.

Kendelle Aronson, a parent of two students, a kindergartner and a third-grade student at Hill-Roberts expressed disappointment that the district was  not able to convince Joseph to stay.

“It’s a tragedy that we’re losing him to another school,” Aronson said.  In addition to the hiring of Nascimento as Joseph’s interim replacement, four other new hires were announced.

Joseph Conner will replace Donnelly as Brennan’s assistant principal. Conner had previously been a history teacher at Attleboro High School since 2004. Conner said he hopes his experience at the high school will help the older middle school students with their transition into the high school. 

“I’m very excited to be working with a new age group,” Conner said. Sue Fortin will replace Knox as Coelho’s assistant principal. Fortin once taught at Coelho but her most recent position was as  as dean at AHS. 

Laurie Regan will be the new K-8 English Language Arts Coordinator, she had previously been the Literary Advisor at Thacher.

Michelle Roy will be the new K-12 Data and Accountability Coordinator, she had previously been the superintendent at the Whitman-Hanson Regional school district.

Since four of the five hires were internal promotions, the district will be looking for replacements to fill their old positions.

The school committee itself may not be immune to the position carousel as a 10- year committee member Francis Zito has chosen not run for her Ward V seat, instead choosing to run for an At-Large position. Zito said her decision to not run for Ward V comes from a desire to give David Sidman, her opponent in the last election, a better chance to win.

“He seems like a good guy,” Zito said. Zito also said that she knows she may not get elected in the at-large seat, since it will likely have more candidates vying for it. Zito had run unopposed in Ward 5 for the four elections before last year. “I figure 10 years is long enough,” Zito said, adding that she had originally planned not to run at all, but received encouragement from her fellow committee members.

Word from some sources say current City Councilor Duff White may be vying for a seat on the school committee, especially since he recently withdrew his name to run as city councilman. When contacted about any interest he may have in running for school committee White said: "I have no announcement at this time."

Committee Notes:

•  Approved final field trip proposal for the AHS football team to attend training camp at the Dan Duquette Sports Academy in Hinsdale from August 24-29 
• Approved field trip proposal for one student to attend the Skills USA National Competition in Kansas City o June 20-25 
• Approved request from Brennan Principal Karen Saltzman to declare 1,464 old library books surplus non-serviceable so that they can be donated to Hands Across America. The books range in copyright date from 1950-1970 and include 698 paperbacks valued at $698 and 776 hard cover books valued at $1,552