Linden Principal's Contract Not Renewed

MALDEN, MA — Linden Steam Academy Principal Richard Bransfield's contract was not renewed for 2018-19 school year, according to a letter sent from Bransfield to colleagues and posted on the Linden PTO Facebook page. The letter said staff and administration found out Tuesday morning that Superintendent John Oteri wouldn't be renewing Bransfield's contract.

Bransfield will no longer be principal as of June 30. He has spent 35 years in the district.

"Malden has meant the world to me and I have dedicated a career to the students, families and the district as a whole but as you know Linden has always been my home," Bransfield wrote in the letter.

Several posts on the Facebook thread expressed dismay that Bransfield appeared to not be coming back.

Oteri didn't immediately respond to a late request for comment.

A Facebook event is encouraging people to bring signs to the drop off/pick up in support of Bransfield. Twenty-three people said they were going as of 11 p.m.

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Below is the email the PTO post said Bransfield sent to Linden colleagues:

Dear Staff and Colleagues:

It is with a heavy heart that I inform you that after 35 years in Malden, 15 as an administrator, Superintendent Oteri has decided to not renew my contract here in Malden and as of June 30th I will no longer be your principal. Malden has meant the world to me and I have dedicated a career to the students, families and the district as a whole but as you know Linden has always been my home. From teacher to coach to Golden Tornado Club president to assistant principal and principal, I have had the luxury of working with some of the finest educators and administrators anyone could wish for. I had the pleasure of working for five superintendents …Dr Holland who was the consummate gentleman and mentor, Joan Connelly who told me that someday I would be a principal here, Sid Smith who taught me so much about curriculum, working in our “grit group” together showing inner city kids that life can change if you want it, Dave DeRuosi who helped and urged me to open the city’s first and only innovation school with open dialogue and relationship building and him always there when you needed an ear to listen and finally Dr. Grandson who always believed in LSA and how kids engaged in learning was the cornerstone for high academic achievement. It has been quite a ride and there are so many of you that I learned from across the district the list would be endless.

Finally… the Linden STEAM Academy family has been my home for the last 7 years. You have done amazing work, twice in my tenure succeeding as a Level 1 school and most importantly always getting kids to achieve, especially our students on IEP’s that showed a 10% improvement on high takes state testing the last few years. Linden, as you know, is THE place to educate your kids in Malden! You all are the epitome of teachers that can “coach students” to love learning and achieve… you have given students life through literacy and will surely make all who enter your doors “learners for life”. To the Pathways group… our program has done so much in shaping and changing the lives of young people… I marvel at your expertise and am proud to have been able to be your leader; the city should be especially proud and thankful of the students you keep in district giving them hope and a future.

As I have said before… and now it applies to me “we are on to Cincinnati”… Your professional lives will go on and the students in Malden will be lucky to have you. It would only be fitting that I leave you with a quote; Colin Powell once said, “Leadership is solving problems. The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help or concluded you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership”. I hope you know how much I cared about all of you and the and students and families that came through our doors…your job is important… you can make a difference in someones life, don’t take that power for granted!

Rich

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