Woburn Memorial High School Hires New Principal

WOBURN, MA—Superintendent Mark Donovan announced Woburn Memorial High School's new principal during the Woburn School Committee's May 25 meeting.

During the School Committee meeting, Donovan announced that Salem High School housemaster Jessica Callanan will take over as the Woburn Memorial High School principal beginning on July 1. Callanan will be taking over for Joseph Finigan, who is retiring.

 "The first thing that strikes you is her strong military background," Donovan stated at the meeting."We sat in a room with six or eight Salem High School students who spoke deep from the heart about Jessica and what she had done for them."

Donovan added that they had conducted two site visits at Beverly and Salem High Schools as well as one at Woburn High, before coming to a "clear consensus" on who the candidate would be. Callanan previously served as the housemaster for Salem High School, and is a graduate of West Point Military academy, as first reported by the Daily Times Chronicle. 

"I'm hoping that I can bring the knowledge that I've gained so far from my different experiences in the military and education together and apply that to help people as best I can in Woburn," Callanan said at the School Committee meeting. 

Callanan stated that she hopes to add to the sense of community Woburn residents are so proud of. 

"People are very proud to be from Woburn," Callanan stated."I want to add to that sense of community and have that feeling of being proud to be a graduate of Woburn High, and for students to have the opportunity to do whatever they want upon leaving. Not saying that they don't have that now, but I don't want anyone to doubt that they have that ability."