On Wednesday morning Central Middle School principal Shelley Somers emailed parents to announce she has withdrawn her application to be principal of Staples High School in Westport. The email was short and to the point:
Good morning. After a long day yesterday at Staples High School, I have withdrawn my name for consideration for the principal position. As I talked with the various groups of stakeholders in Westport, I realized how important Central and Greenwich are to me. I look forward to working to create a safe and challenging environment at Central Middle School that meets the needs of all of our students. I feel certain that in collaboration with you, my leadership team, and my teachers and staff, Central will continue to grow and to thrive.
In Westport, Somers was selected as a finalist for the Staples job following a six-month search that began in December when current Principal John Dodig announced he would retire at the end of the school year.
According to an article in WestportNow.com, Somers recently faced a grilling in Westport at a public meeting attended by about 100 parents. The article described Somers as “explaining her past and bearing her soul for the penultimate judgment before the school board meets in executive session.”
A vote at a public meeting was to have taken place on Monday, June 1.
Somers was named Connecticut PTA Middle School Principal of the year this year . She was honored with the award at the Connecticut PTA Outstanding Administrator Awards Dinner in Milford last month. She has been with the Greenwich Public Schools as Principal of CMS since 2009. The CMS PTA membership nominated Somers. She was selected by the state PTA for the award based on the awards several criteria: Leadership for Learning, Communication, Community Involvement, and Professionalism.
The notification letter from the Connecticut PTA selection stated, “Winning this prestigious award is a testament to an administrator’s success working collaboratively with the varying needs of PTA members.”
See also:
UPDATE: Statement Announcing Somers Appointment as Principal at Staples is Retracted
Shelly Somers Named CT PTA Middle School Principal of the Year
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