West Hartford Superintendent of Schools Paul Vicinus has announced the departure of the director of Elementary Education and the appointment of Webster Hill’s principal to that role.

Director of Elementary Education Kerry Jones (right), pictured with Morley Principal Ryan Cleary (left) and Wolcott Principal Scott Dunn at West Hartford’s Cookin’. March 30, 2019. Photo credit: Ronni Newton (we-ha.com file photo)

By Ronni Newton

West Hartford Superintendent of Schools Paul Vicinus announced Tuesday that Kerry Jones has retired from the district as director of Elementary Education, and Webster Hill Principal Melissa Behrens has been appointed to fill the vacancy.

In a letter to the school community, Vicinus said the news about Jones’ departure – after 21 years in the district and more than 30 years in public education – was bittersweet. While Jones is retiring from West Hartford Public Schools, she recently obtained her PhD and is pursuing a new path as assistant professor of educational leadership at the University of Bridgeport.

“Kerry has been a dedicated and passionate change agent, supporting and directing innovative curricular programming and professional learning that has supported and secured our standing as one of the top districts in the state and the nation,” Vicinus said. “Kerry’s tireless advocacy for early childhood education, her deep understanding of foundational literacy, and her incredible work ethic have made a lasting and positive impact on our schools and our classrooms. I wish her all the best in her new endeavors and I look forward to the positive contributions she will make in higher education and educational leadership.”

Vicinus noted the importance of the position Jones is leaving, noting that in naming a successor, “the district sought to find a leader with vision, passion for education, a deep understanding of instructional practice, a record of continuous improvement, and a philosophy that prioritizes and demonstrates belief in the potential of every child.” Behrens, he said, who has been Webster Hill’s principal since 2019, is a leader among the “deep and talented pool of educational leaders from across the state.”

Vicinus praised Behrens for engaging with the community and fostering partnerships, and said Webster Hill has flourished under her leadership, with preliminary data indicating that the most recent school year may have been the strongest performance yet for mathematics and literacy. “During her tenure as principal, Webster Hill Elementary has skyrocketed in terms of student achievement, being recognized as a CT School of Distinction for excellence within academic growth in 2022-23. She has developed a shared vision around championing the power of high expectations, strong instructional practices and the knowledge that ALL students can achieve at high levels and achieve mastery of essential standards. This fall, she brings these talents for strong instructional practice and a commitment to excellence to the district as she helps to lead our PK-5 programming across our eleven elementary schools.”

A formal search process to select a new principal for Webster Hill will take place in the spring of 2025, providing the opportunity for input from families and staff, and Vicinus said Maureen Lantner – who has the similar strengths and qualities as Behrens – has been named to lead the school for the coming academic year.

“We were very pleased to be able to name a leader with experience, an understanding of our shared vision, deep knowledge of best instructional practice, and a strong commitment to all learners,” he said. Lantner was a classroom teacher at Webster Hill from 1994-1996, and later in her career was principal at Aiken Elementary School from 2001-2006 and then an administrator in the district from 2006-2017. In the fall of 2017, she served as interim principal at Wolcott Elementary School.

Most recently Lantner has been serving as a leadership coach for administrators and also working as an instructor in UConn’s Pre-K through Grade 3 Leadership Program.

“She has spent her educational career building community and collaboration at all levels, and believes in the joy of learning for all community members. Maureen champions building individual and collective leadership capacity in teachers, students, and families. I am excited for Marueen to rejoin WHPS and Webster Hill and I hope you will join me in welcoming her back in this interim role,” Vicinus wrote in a letter to the Webster Hill community.

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