In letters to staff and families at Riverside School staff on Tuesday, Greenwich Schools Superintendent Dr. Toni Jones said Principal Christopher Weiss was taking a medical leave of absence, effective immediately, and possibly through the end of the school year, and that the district will have various administrators on site for this week to support Interim Assistant Principal Dolan Collette.
Jones added that former Western Middle School principal Gordon Beinstein will become acting principal on Tuesday, January 16 to help maintain a high level of administrative support over the next few months.
Christopher Weiss
Jones explained that recently, Principal Weiss alerted the district that this would be his last year at Riverside School after more than a decade of leadership.
“While we intended to announce his pending departure later this year, we think it is now appropriate to share the news so that staff and families have a clear understanding of Riverside leadership’s future,” Jones said, adding, “When we become aware this time of year that a principal position will become open, it is traditionally publicly posted around March and a comprehensive hiring process starts, including staff and family surveys, a hiring committee with staff and PTA leadership, and the thorough vetting of all viable candidates.”
Gordon Beinstein
Mr. Beinstein, the Connecticut Association of Schools 2019 Middle School Principal of the Year, retired from the district in June 2023 after more than a decade as a respected principal here.
Jones said she would continue to update the school community, including details about the hiring process, and that they could expect to receive communication from Mr. Beinstein next week.