Anne McKernan will assume the position with West Hartford Public Schools on July 1, 2016.

Anne McKernan. Courtesy photo

By Ronni Newton

Anne McKernan will become the director of Secondary Education for West Hartford Public Schools effective July 1, 2016, Superintendent Tom Moore announced Tuesday.

McKernan has been appointed to replace Paul Vicinus, who will become assistant superintendent of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment when Dr. Nancy DePalma retires.

Moore said that McKernan was chosen out of one of the “richest pools” of applicants he has seen, and that he could not be more excited to announce her appointment.

In a new release, Moore praised McKernan. “Anne has been an exceptional leader throughout her career, and her knowledge of curriculum and instruction will be a great asset to West Hartford Public Schools. We welcome Anne back home to West Hartford where she not only grew up and became a teacher, but currently resides with her family and is a West Hartford Public Schools parent.”

“I think that the work that she will do with Kerry [Jones] and Paul [Vicinus] will continue to propel west Hartford forward. She understands all the things that are coming forward and we are very fortunate to bring her in,” Moore told the Board of Education Tuesday night.

McKernan is currently director of Leadership Development for the Connecticut State Department of Education’s Talent Office, providing leadership and management support for the department’s Leadership Development Program. She was formerly the chief academic officer for Enfield Public Schools and has also held leadership roles, including department chair, principal, and assistant superintendent for secondary schools, with CREC. She is co-author of the “2015 CT Plan to Ensure Equitable Access to Excellent Educators.”

McKernan has a bachelor’s degree in political science from Fordham University, a masters from Trinity College, a sixth year certificate in educational leadership from Southern Connecticut State University, and is a graduate of the University of Connecticut’s Executive Leadership Program.

Also at Tuesday night’s Board of Education meeting Moore announced that Jeff Sousa, who has been interim principal at Braeburn Elementary School, has been officially appointed to the principal position.

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