New Assistant Principal For Madison Junior School

MADISON, NJ - The Madison School District is wasting no time in filling the holes in their roster this summer as Brooke Phillips has been onboarded at the Madison Junior School as a new assistant principal.

Phillips replaces Lori Lubieski-Hutmaker, who is leaving the district for Cranford's Orange Avenue School where she will be the new principal. Phillips, an educator for 13 years, has wasted no time getting started and has crafted an entry plan to assist her in getting up to speed for the new school year.

She also penned a letter to the community which is included below:

"Dear MJS Families,

It is a true honor and pleasure to join the Madison Junior School community, and I am looking forward to the 2019-2020 school year with much anticipation. As a thirteen year educator and parent of three children, I share with you the desire to see our students grow, succeed, and enjoy learning. It is a gift as an educator to be a part of a community that can so positively impact and empower young lives and set them on a path for success as young adults. In order for this to happen, I believe it is vital that all stakeholders work in partnership with the common belief that every student can, and will, grow to reach their fullest academic and social-emotional potentials. It will be my goal to help build and grow an educational learning community grounded in trust and collaboration, with clear and frequent communication, and a vision guided by a compass that focuses on serving the needs of students, educators, and families.

I know there is much for me to learn about MJS. To initiate this process I have created an entry plan which can be accessed on the school website. It is my hope that this entry plan will provide a means of framing our future work together. The first few months will allow me to learn about the culture, perspectives, and programs at MJS. It will also give me an opportunity to begin developing personal and collaborative relationships with many of you. The primary focus for the first one hundred days will be to listen, learn, and ask questions. The heart of a collaborative community rests on listening and learning, and it is my hope that by understanding and appreciating our MJS community values I can be a supportive and motivating lead learner.

I join the MJS community via Lafayette School in Chatham, where I have been an ELA and Social Studies teacher for nine years, holding building and team leadership positions the past six years. My special education certification also gave me the opportunity to teach at the district’s summer program. I hold a B.A. from Siena College, an M.A. from the College of St. Elizabeth and am finishing my second
masters in educational leadership at Fairleigh Dickinson University this year. My son and daughter, a senior and junior in college respectively, and youngest daughter, a junior in high school, are my joys in life. We love spending time at Culvers Lake, where I have my favorite place to read, relax, and gather inspiration.

My door will be open starting July 1 and I encourage any school community member or student to drop in and speak with me as we begin this important work of collaborating to build an inspiring learning community. I look forward to meeting, learning from, and working with each and every one of you, and I eagerly anticipate getting to know your middle schooler."

Phillips is not the only change to the district this summer. Dave Drechsel takes over for Greg Robertson at Madison High School as principal. Robertson is retiring after 15 years of service.

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