North Branford hires two new principals

By Rachael Scarborough King, Register Staff
March 14, 2008

NORTH BRANFORD — The Board of Education, at its regular meeting Thursday night, approved hiring two new elementary school principals.

Douglas Hammel will take over as principal of Stanley T. Williams Elementary School and Kris Lindsay will lead Totoket Valley Elementary School this summer.

The current principals, Karen Johnson at Stanley T. Williams and Nancy Brittingham at Totoket Valley, announced their resignations late last year.

Johnson left in December, and the school has had an interim principal since then. Brittingham will retire at the end of the school year.

Board of Education members interviewed the two new principals in executive session Thursday before approving the hires in open session.

Superintendent of Schools Robert Wolfe said that the district conducted an extensive search to replace Johnson and Brittingham, looking at candidates from North Branford as well as other districts.

Lindsay is the town’s coordinator of special education, a position she has held since 2004. Prior to that, she worked as a school psychologist in the Woodbridge and Milford school districts. She has a doctorate in educational leadership from the University of Hartford, a master’s from Fairfield University, and a master’s and a bachelor’s degree, both from Southern Connecticut State University.

“Not only does she have experience in the area of special education, but in a broad range of educational issues and we think she is a match for TVES,” Wolfe said.

Hammel has been an administrator in the Salem school district for nine years. He is principal of the elementary school there and has also served as assistant principal.

He has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Connecticut, a master’s degree from the University of New Haven, and an administrative certificate from Southern Connecticut State University.

Members of North Branford’s search committee visited Hammel’s school in Salem for an interview.

“We believe that he will add a great amount to Stanley T. Williams school,” Wolfe said. “He has considerable experience, a love for children and we think that he is a perfect fit.”

Each principal’s contract will begin July 1.