New Principal Named for Pleasantville High School

At its May 6 meeting, the Pleasantville Board of Education approved Joseph Palumbo as principal of Pleasantville High School, effective July 1, 2014. The appointment successfully ended a months-long search by the District’s High School Principal Search Committee, made up of members from the District administration, the staff, and the community.

Mr. Palumbo has eight years of experience as a high school administrator and currently serves as Principal of Brookfield High School in Brookfield, CT. Before becoming Brookfield's principal in 2011, Mr. Palumbo served as its Assistant Principal. Prior to that, he was an Assistant Principal at Westhill High School in Stamford, CT. As an administrator, Mr. Palumbo led high school redesign efforts such as block scheduling, web 2.0 tools, expansion of AP offerings, and Professional Learning Communities. He has also facilitated school improvement initiatives through his work with NEASC – New England Association of Schools and Colleges. NEASC prides itself on its enduring commitment to self-regulation and peer-review. He is currently serving as the Assistant Chairperson for Portland Secondary School's decennial New England Association of Secondary Schools and Colleges accreditation review.

This year’s Search Process focused on the importance of the following:

• A transformative and thoughtful leader who understands the importance of collaboration, communication and the essential characteristics of continual improvement efforts.
• A strong and caring advocate for the needs of all children.
• A strategic leader and learner who values the input of faculty, parents and students and can motivate all stakeholders as we engage in the next stage of the school’s important work.

The search process included a committee review of all 145 résumés, screening interviews, detailed and specific behavioral interviews, and interviews with the district administrative team and the board of education. The process also included extensive background and reference checks.

Throughout the process, Mr. Palumbo exhibited strong qualifications. His detailed and specific responses demonstrated excellent educational experience and expertise. His references were unanimously positive. He emerged from the 145 applicants as the best match for the district needs and priorities as we embark upon Pleasantville Schools 2026.

Mr. Palumbo has a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and a Master’s degree in Teaching Social Studies from Iona College in New Rochelle and a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Fordham University. He began his career in education as a social studies teacher, first at New Rochelle Middle School and then at Brewster High School, his alma mater.

Mr. Palumbo and his wife, a reading teacher in Brewster, have two young children.