Connecticut Principals of the Year Named As School Year Closes
/As the most unpredictable, unexpected and unprecedented school year comes to an end, the Connecticut Association of Schools (CAS) has announced the winners of the 2020 Principal of the Year Awards. This year’s recipients are:
• BARBARA SILVERIO, PEARSON SCHOOL, Winsted
2020 Elementary School Principal of the Year
• JOY WRIGHT, KING PHILIP MIDDLE SCHOOL, West Hartford
2020 Middle School Principal of the Year
• DR. NANCY DOWLING, BUNNEL HIGH SCHOOL, Stratford
2020 High School Principal of the Year
The Principal of the Year program spotlights the important role of the principal in shaping the educational environment and experiences of children, and recognizes outstanding school principals who have succeeded in providing high quality learning opportunities for students.
CAS explains that these administrators have demonstrated excellent leadership, commitment to staff and students, service to their communities, and contributions to the overall profession of educational leadership
Though more than 1,000 students enter the doors of Bunnell High School in Stratford each day, Dowling manages to sustain a warm, nurturing atmosphere where each one feels connected and valued. She achieves this through her earnest and ever-present Bulldog pride and through the shared sense of community and respect that she models at all times.
A champion and cheerleader for her students, Dowling is a constant presence in the corridors and classrooms and can be found at most every school play, concert and sports event, using every available opportunity to build relationships with students. The model of a collaborative leader, she values shared decision-making and invites all stakeholders — teachers, support staff, parents, students, and community members alike — to enjoy a shared responsibility for leading the school towards improvement.
One of her proudest accomplishments is the establishment of the Bunnell Faculty Council, which brings together a diverse cross section of staff to share concerns, brainstorm solutions and explore ways to better the school community. The Council has brought about increased collegiality and professional camaraderie and an improved professional climate at Bunnell.
Since becoming principal in 2015, she has introduced a number of creative programs and practices to help her staff and students flourish and has had a dramatic impact on student engagement and academic achievement as can be seen by the 98% graduation rate and the 20-point increase in SAT scores for the class of 2020. Last year, for the first time in school history, Bunnell was recognized by U.S. News and World Report among the Best High Schools in the U.S.; and, the University of Connecticut recognized Bunnell among the “Top Ten High Schools in CT” (#9 overall) in the UCONN Early College Experience Program.
Dowling will represent Connecticut in the National Principal of the Year Award Program sponsored by the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP).
Joy Wright, principal of King Philip Middle School – known as KP– in West Hartford, is described by one of her teachers as “an empowering leader who is on a continual path toward growth” and praises her success in building a positive culture and a dynamic learning environment through collaboration, caring and innovative teaching and learning practices.
In her daily work, Wright models the characteristics of compassion, respect and kindness that serve as the foundation of the close-knit learning community she has helped to build at KP. Described by a colleague as “the most courageous leader I’ve ever worked with,” Wright introduced the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence’s RULER (Recognizing-Understanding-Labeling-Expressing-Regulating) model at KP and led her staff through its implementation. Since its rollout, RULER has helped transform the climate and culture at KP, creating a safe haven where students feel physically safe and emotionally connected to teachers and to one another.
According to math department supervisor Monique Albani-Ethier, “Joy refers to herself as lead learner, and it is not a gimmick. She lives it. She is constantly connected to and immersed in what is happening in education and she shares her learning with all of us. Learning is at the forefront of everything that she does.”
Wright has been a prominent leader and educational pioneer both at her school and in the larger West Hartford district. She has spearheaded several innovative programs at KP, including the first middle school Gay-Straight Alliance and the first middle school transition program, Where Everybody Belongs (WEB). She also piloted the Collaborative Proactive Solutions (CPS) process for students with challenging behaviors.
Barbara Silverio, principal of Isabelle M. Pearson School in Winsted, has been named the 2020 Elementary School Principal of the Year. Nominated for the award by her superintendent, Melony Brady-Shanley, she is described as a transformational and collaborative leader who is committed to developing the best in her students and in the teaching and learning process.
Silverio believes that education is the biggest gift that can be given to children and she takes her responsibilities as principal very seriously. She joined the Pearson administration in 2014, when the Winchester Public Schools was in receivership and became part of state’s Alliance District program. Working with a broad network of stakeholders, she immediately embarked upon whole school reform initiatives with the goal of building a learning community predicated on transparency, accountability, equity and academic rigor. At the same time, she worked at creating what Brady-Shanley describes as a “positive, kid-focused culture that is felt moment you enter the building.”
As a result of her leadership, combined with the hard work of her staff, Pearson School’s Next Generation Accountability index ratings increased 9.3 points from 71.2 in 2016 to 80.5 in 2019. Additionally, Pearson School was recognized by the CT State Department of Education (CSDE) as a School of Distinction for the academic growth of students with high needs in mathematics for the 2017-28 school year.
Iris White, a CSDE consultant who worked with Pearson as a Commissioner’s Network School, said this of Barbara: “In her role as principal, Ms. Silverio has utilized her strong understanding of curriculum and instruction to lead Pearson’s transformation from a low-performing school to a school that has consistently exceeded state performance in ELA, math, and science.”
Described by special education teacher Chelsea Mecca as the “essence of composure,” Silverio is known for her poise under pressure, her unflappable leadership style, and her ability to juggle a myriad of roles with ease and excellence. A respected instructional leader who models a growth mindset and maintains consistently high expectations for students, staff and, most of all, herself, Silverio will represent Connecticut in the National Distinguished Principals (NDP) Program sponsored by the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP). Assuming conditions allow for them, the national recognition events will take place in Washington, D.C., on October 22-23, 2020.
The three principals will be honored by CAS at the “Celebration of Distinguished Administrators” scheduled to be held on November 5, 2020, at Saint Clements Castle in Portland.
CAS is a non-profit, tax-exempt educational organization. It is affiliated with the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), the National Middle School Association (NMSA), and the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP).
