Newton South Principal Departing District At The End Of The School Year

NEWTON, MA — The public school district is losing its second high school principal at the conclusion of the current school year.

Newton South High School Principal Tamara Stras announced her upcoming departure in an announcement to the school community earlier this month. She is leaving to accept a position as Assistant Superintendent of Secondary Education in Cambridge after five years.

“It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve this community,” Stras said in her announcement. “Together, we have navigated moments of challenge, growth, celebration, and transformation. Through it all, I have remained grounded in one core belief: schools thrive when relationships are rooted in trust, collaboration, mutual respect, and a shared commitment to doing what is best for students. I thank you for sharing this belief with me.”

Stras named grading policy changes, technical education program additions, and dual enrollment opportunities as some of the initiatives she feels have made a positive impact on the school during her tenure.

“Our collective commitment to equity and belonging led to tangible outcomes that I am very proud of. We increased the diversity of our staff through intentional recruitment and mentoring practices,” Stras said. “We rebuilt our multi-tiered system of supports to better support the needs of today’s students, and redesigned our Grade 9 cluster teams to ensure students had the support necessary for success during the critical transition into high school.”

She added that acting as a mentor to both students and staff has shaped her professionally and personally.

Stras was the first woman of color to ever serve as a Newton High School principal. The native of India began her educational career at Newton South as a chemistry teacher in 2009. Prior to becoming principal at Newton South in 2021, Stras was an assistant principal at Haverhill High School.

Newton North High School Principal Henry Turner announced last month he was also leaving the district to become the next Superintendent of Schools for the town of Reading.

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