New Principal (and Dad) Excited for School

You might spot him riding his bike to school every morning, maybe with his oldest son.  Marblehead dad Ken Weinstein is the new principal at Marblehead High School and he's excited for the first day of school.

Weinstein started July 6 and he's working hard mapping out the coming school year and meeting with teachers.

"They're incredibly talented and engaging," he said.

This father-of-three has lived in Marblehead for five years. His oldest son will be a sophomore at MHS this fall.

"He's actually glad I'm working at the high school," Weinstein said. "We'll get to see a lot more of each other." His younger sons attend the Cohen Hillel Academy in Marblehead.

Weinstein most recently worked as principal at the Maimonides School in Brookline for nine years.  

"The more I learned about Marblehead High School the more I wanted to work here," he said. "The way the school emphasizes creativity, original thought and thinking about the future. We're a very progressive public school."

One of his first goals is to visit every classroom. "I want to see how kids are learning. I want to study and learn."

Weinstein also wants to expand what he calls the "ethical model" that adults show to kids every day in school.

"The students are always watching," he explained. "Every move we make, every conversation we have, we are modeling for our students. We have to be hyper-aware of it."

Weinstein wants students to go home each day knowing that the adults at the  school care about them and their future.

"We want to reach out to the kids who are on the outside, too, who maybe don't feel part of things... to make sure they find an adult to connect with."

And it's that approach that earned Weinstein the job, according to Superintendent Dr. Paul Dulac.

"We hired Ken Weinstein because he's so good at building a close-knit community in a school... where everybody cares for each other and looks out for each other," Dulac said. "We're really excited about his leadership."

The new principal  hopes to send weekly emails to all MHS parents, keeping them up to date on happenings at the school.

Another goal -- to bike to school as often as he can.

"Until the weather gets too bad," he said with a laugh.