MIDDLEBURY — Two Middlebury schools are preparing for some leadership transitions.
Middlebury Union Middle School will welcome a new assistant principal this summer, while St. Mary’s School is looking for a new top administrator to lead its students.
MUMS Principal Patrick Reen confirmed the appointment of Scott Sivo as new assistant principal. Sivo currently holds that same title at Hull High School in Hull, Mass., which is located south of Boston.
Sivo’s duties at Hull High School have included student discipline, scheduling, advisory program coordinator, student council advisor and community outreach, among other things. Hull High School has an enrollment of around 335 students, according to U.S. News and World Report.
Sivo earned a Bachelor of Arts in Government with a minor in Education from Colby College in 2003. He earned his master’s in education from Endicott College in Beverly, Mass., in 2009.
At MUMS, Sivo’s main responsibilities will be student discipline, coordinator of athletics and activities, and some curriculum supervision responsibilities, according to Reen.
Sivo will officially assume the duties of the 90-percent assistant principal position at MUMS on July 1. He succeeds MUMS Dean of Students Jennefer Eaton, who was recently named the new principal of Bridport Central School.
“We are very excited to welcome Scott Sivo to MUMS,” said Addison Central Supervisory Union Superintendent Peter Burrows. “Scott has a history of exceptional leadership and student-centered decision making in Massachusetts, and we know that he will be a perfect addition to the team of educators at MUMS who work tirelessly to make sure students are inspired and successful.”
Sivo was among around 40 applicants for the MUMS post, according to Reen.
“Of all the candidates, the (search) committee felt strongly about (Sivo) because of the energy and enthusiasm that he brings,” Reen said.
Reen was part of a MUMS team that visited Hull High School to see Sivo in his element. The team interviewed Hull teachers, administrators and students, and were pleased with the testimonials given on his behalf.
“Philosophically, there is great alignment in what we do and what we believe is best practice,” Reen said. “He speaks the same (educational) language as we do. We are fortunate to have him.”
Reen noted other schools in addition to MUMS had been interested in Sivo’s services.
Sivo, reached by phone on Thursday, explained that he, his spouse and their two children had for the past three years been looking for an opportunity to move to Vermont. Sivo noted his brother is a St. Michael’s College graduate and educator in Burlington. Sivo’s wife’s family spends half the year in the Saranac Lake area.
“We have fallen in love with the area as we have come up for visits,” Sivo said.
Quite a few Vermont public schools have been seeking to fill administrative vacancies this spring, according to Sivo, who applied for five jobs. He was a finalist for all of them, including spots at MUMS and BFA Fairfax High School. MUMS emerged as the clear frontrunner after being the only school to send a team to scout Hull High School, Sivo recalled.
“It was a sign of administrators doing their due diligence and talking their jobs seriously,” he said, adding he was impressed with MUMS’ reputation. “They went the extra mile.”
ST. MARY’S LEADERSHIP
Meanwhile, St. Mary’s School is looking for a new principal to succeed Judy Adams. Adams is rounding our her second year at the helm of the private school that is an offering of the neighboring St. Mary’s Catholic Parish.
Adams came out of retirement to lead the St. Mary’s School after more than 40 years as a public schools administrator/educator, most recently as assistant superintendent for student services with the Bennington-Rutland Supervisory Union. She succeeded Angela Pohlen as principal at St. Mary’s.
Adams called it “a real gift to be able to complete my career” at St. Mary’s, which she praised for having supportive parents and parishioners, good teachers and inquisitive students.
“It is a really warm community with exceptional educational opportunities,” she said. “There’s a sense of respect, value and worth for each child.”
Adams said she has enjoyed her time at the school, but wants to return to retirement — in part to spend more time with her grandchildren.
“It was a very difficult decision,” she said about stepping down.
Father William R. Beaudin, St. Mary’s pastor, said the school principal position had drawn a “decent response” by the application deadline of May 21.
St. Mary’s School has a current enrollment of 55 students, pre-K through grade 6. Beaudin called this year “the best ever” for the school.
He wished Adams the best.
“Judy has been a wonderful presence,” he said. “She is a fine person and a skilled teacher and administrator.”
Reporter John Flowers is at [email protected].