By KATY SAVAGE
[email protected]
SPRINGFIELD, Vt. -— A new principal has been named at Union Street School.
The Springfield School District board voted unanimously Wednesday night to appoint Philip Trejo as the new leader of the elementary school.
Trejo lives in Detroit and is currently the director of American Promise Schools — a network of five schools in Michigan that ensure students have equal access to education, according for information provided by the board.
Trejo has experience leading schools in both Detroit and Colorado. He was also previously a superintendent of a school district and director of a community college.
Trejo will take over for Union Street Principal Nancy Wiese.
Wiese, who had been in the school district for 20 years, resigned March 26 after her contract was not renewed.
An online petition was circulated in early April in support of keeping Wiese at Union Street.
The search for principal lasted about a month.
The board said four of the 14 candidates went through an extensive interview process that involved a total of 31 people from four search committees — a teacher committee, building support staff committee, parent committee and an administrator committee.
Trejo was chosen for his previous ability to turn struggling schools around, said Springfield School District Superintendent Zach McLaughlin.
Springfield’s students, including students at Union Street, have previously underperformed on national tests compared to others.
“No individual person is going to change a school on their own,” said McLaughlin, who hoped Trejo would work with staff to improve Union Street.
Union Street has 270 students in grades three to five.
“We have got to improve our academic outcomes at that school,” McLaughlin said.
The board authorized Trejo a yearly salary between $95,000 and $98,000.
Board Chairman Ed Caron said it seemed like Trejo was the appropriate person for Union Street.
This isn’t the only change at the school.
Union Street School third grade teacher Elizabeth Harty recently resigned to take a principal position closer to where she lives, according to her resignation letter.
Harty’s resignation was accepted at a school district meeting on Monday night. Harty’s last day is June 30.
As your daily newspaper, we are committed to providing you with important local news coverage for Sullivan County and the surrounding areas.