Your Guide to Recent Leadership Changes at Greenwich Schools

Greenwich Schools shared a summary of the recent slew of changes in administration. There were six  six vacancies in administration this spring and summer.

“Each of these appointments provide opportunities for Greenwich Public Schools staff to grow and expand their leadership skills and experience,” the District said in a release on Tuesday morning. “These changes operate within BOE/BET/RTM approved budgetary and staffing allocations for the 2018-2019 school year.

Greenwich has a new interim Superintendent. Ralph Mayo was unanimously appointed by the BOE in July, following Superintendent Dr. Jill Gildea’s departure.

A Greenwich High School graduate, Mr. Mayo has dedicated his entire career in education to the Greenwich Public Schools, and is uniquely positioned to lead the District through this period of transition.

New Titles for Superintendent’s cabinet
Changes in titles among the Superintendent’s Cabinet were announced on Tuesday. The release said the idea is to align titles with the State Dept of Education:

Chief Academic Officer Irene Parisi (formerly “Assistant Superintendent”)

Chief Pupil Personnel Services Officer Mary Forde (formerly “Director”)

Chief Human Resources Officer Bob Stacy (formerly “Director”)

Phil Dunn, Greenwich Schools Chief Information Officer

Phil Dunn Resignation
Chief Information Officer Phillip Dunn has resigned from his position as Chief Information Officer.

Dunn’s position has been eliminated. His roles and responsibilities have been reassigned as follows:

Director of Educational Technology Michael Ting will report to the Deputy Superintendent and assume responsibility for technology infrastructure and hardware.

Media/Technology Program Coordinator Robert Hibson will report to the Chief Academic Officer and will assume responsibility for educational software and data privacy.

Research Manager Jennifer Lau will report to the Deputy Superintendent and will assume the responsibility for the comprehensive assessment system and information services.

Summary of Recent Personnel Changes
School Administration

Interim Greenwich High School Headmaster
Rick Piotrzkowski was appointed Interim Headmaster on August 10, after Headmaster Chris Winters’ announced he had accepted the position as Head of School for Greenwich Country Day Upper School.  As Assistant Headmaster for the last fourteen years, Science program administrator for five years and chemistry teacher for 14 years at GHS, Mr. Piotrzkowski is the ideal candidate to lead the high school during this transition. He has a deep understanding of the climate, culture, operations and strategic direction of the high school, ensuring continued implementation of the school improvement plan.

Interim Eastern Middle School Principal Jason Goldstein
Mr. Goldstein was appointed Interim Principal in early July filling the vacancy left as EMS Principal Ralph Mayo assumed the Interim Superintendent position. Goldstein has been with the Greenwich Public Schools for eighteen years, the last years as Greenwich High School’s Cantor House Administrator.

Interim Cantor House Administrator Christina Shaw
Ms. Shaw was appointed Interim House Administrator in July filling the open position left by Mr. Goldstein as he assumed his Interim position at EMS. Ms. Shaw has been
with the GPS for almost two decades at Greenwich High School holding several leadership roles in addition to her teaching responsibilities.

Central Middle School Assistant Principal Lindsey Pontieri
Announced in May 2018, Ms. Pontieri assumed the role of CMS Assistant Principal this summer after completing the school year at Western Middle School (WMS). Ms. Pontieri began her career as an educator with the GPS in 2007 as a special education teacher.

Assistant Principal Reshuffle

On July 24, Greenwich Schools announced that three assistant principals were to be reshuffled. Some parents were unhappy with the changes.

In Glenville parents started a petition asking that their assistant principal Kathleen Ramirez not be moved. That petition has 272 signatures as of Aug 21.

Glenville School Assistant Principal Barbara Oxer
Transferring from Cos Cob School, Ms. Oxer has been with the Greenwich Schools since 2002, after more than 20 years working in the private sector. She served as Cos Cob’s Assistant Principal for the last five years.

Kathleen Ramirez has been appointed as Assistant Principal at Glenville School

North Street School Assistant Principal Kathleen Ramirez
Transferring from Glenville School, Ms. Ramirez has worked in the roles of elementary teacher, instructional coach and Assistant Principal since joining the GPS in 2006.

Cos Cob School Assistant Principal Michael Reid
Transferring from North Street School after one year as Assistant Principal, Mr. Reid has been with the Greenwich Schools since 2006. He served as an elementary teacher and instructional coach for almost 10 years before becoming an Assistant Principal.

Old Greenwich School Assistant Principal (AP) Caitlin Keane
Formerly a learning facilitator and math teacher, Ms. Keane was appointed to this position after former Assistant Principal Abby Ostruzka accepted a position with the Clinton Public Schools.

Ms. Keane has been teaching with the Greenwich Public
Schools at Central Middle School since 2007, and has also served as a department and grade-level leader.

Program Department Administration

Languages Program Coordinator Adriane Hirsch-Klein
Ms. Hirsch-Klein has assumed the responsibilities for the English Language Learning and World Languages programs.

The District AVID program responsibility has been reassigned to 6-12 Guidance Program Coordinator Judith Nedell.

The World Languages Program Coordinator formerly held by Viviana Conner, position has been eliminated. Ms. Conner accepted a position with the Hartford Public Schools.

Assistant Director of Human Resources for Certified Staff Shamain Johnson
Announced in March 2018, Ms. Johnson joined the Human Resources Department this summer after completing the school year at Central Middle School in her former role as Assistant Principal. An educator for twenty years, Ms. Johnson has been with the GPS since 2014.

Interim Program Leader at Windrose Diane Chiapetta-Fox

Ms. Chiapetta-Fox will assume the Windrose program leader position for the interim, vacant due to Brian Keating’s acceptance of a position with the Fairfield Public Schools.  Ms. Fox has been with the Greenwich Schools at GHS for 23 years, most recently as Assistant Dean of Student Life for Cantor House, and formerly as Director of Student Activities and as a speech and language pathologist, each for eleven years.

Assistant Director of Pupil Personnel Services Carleen Wood
The position of Assistant Director/Pupil Personnel Services has not been assigned since the retirement of Sharon Turshen in 2016.

Given Ms. Wood’s experience and seniority within the department, her coordinator position has been renamed to reflect her role within the PPS administrative structure.