UPDATE: Brenner Says Newly Hired Middlesex Principal a Strong Candidate

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Shelley Somers by Leslie Yager 7-27-16

Shelley Somers, just named principal of Middlesex Middle School (2014 photo by Leslie Yager for Greenwich Free Press)

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Updated 4:46 p.m. Wednesday, with information from Superintendent Dan Brenner and elsewhere.

The Darien Board of Education on Tuesday approved appointing Shelley Somers, a middle school principal in Greenwich, as the next Middlesex Middle School principal, starting in late August.

Superintendent Dan Brenner said Wednesday that Somers’ strengths as a candidate overcame concerns some trouble Somers had earlier in her career when she was owner of a daycare center in which a sleeping child was left on a bus during a field trip.

The Board of Education’s approval was unanimous.

Somers has been principal of Central Middle School in Greenwich since 2009 and last year was named Connecticut PTA middle school principal of the year by her school’s parent teacher association, based on excelling in “communiction, community involvement and professionalism.” She replaces Dr. Debi Boccanfuso who left the job in June.

The incident involving the daycare center was described this way in a news release from the school district:

During the interview process, Ms. Somers shared with the committee an incident

that occurred 21 years ago when she was the owner of a daycare center.

At that time, a child was left on a van during a field trip.

Although the child was not harmed, Ms. Somers assumed full responsibility for the situation, which was covered extensively in the news.

Dr. Dan Brenner, superintendent of schools in Darien, told the Board of

Education that after fully researching the incident from 21 years ago, including a review of the results of the extensive investigation conducted by the Greenwich Public Schools

during Ms. Somers tenure there, that he

“fully endorses Ms. Somers’ appointment as

principal of Middlesex Middle School.”

An Oct. 6, 2011 article in Greenwich Time describes the situation this way, citing a March 27. 1996 story in the Hartford Courant:

The story notes that Somers allegedly left a sleeping toddler alone in a van for at least 45 minutes while children from the day-care center attended a performance at the University of Hartford, and that she failed to notify parents that a preschooler may have ingested Advil while in her care. Somers also reportedly misled state officials in order to retain her license.

According to the newspaper, the report said that Somers closed the day-care center but neither admitted guilt nor denied the allegations. She had operated the Cornflakes Day Care Center on the Granby/East Granby border for 11 years, according to the newspaper.

Somers did not disclose the matter when she applied for the principal job in Greenwich, and an Internet search was not at that time one of the steps in the background checking done by the school district (although it was by 2011, when Greenwich Time reported the matter).

The newspaper said Somers was put on administrative leave while school district officials investigated the matter. She kept her job.

Brenner said that parents at the Greenwich middle school were very supportive of Somers when the earlier incident came to light, and they petitioned to bring her back from administrative leave.

Greenwich Time also reported that Somers had agreed to give up her daycare license and not operate another daycare center in Connecticut for five years, but Somers and Westport Superintendent of Schools Elliott Landon said that was false at a May 2015 meeting for parents when Somers was a finalist candidate for principal of Staples High School in Westport, according to Westport Now. Landon cited information from the Greenwich school district investigation.

Shelley Somers by Leslie Yager 7-27-16

Shelley Somers, just named principal of Middlesex Middle School (2014 photo by Leslie Yager for Greenwich Free Press)

 

 

Somers ultimately withdrew her application for the Westport position.

Somers said, according to the news release, that she came to realize that her “passion is middle school; it is where I belong. I have devoted the last six years of my life to making sure that the middle school experience is the best that it can be, socially, emotionally and academically. After reflection during the process I realized that the high school principal position was not a good fit for me.”

Somers worked for 10 years in the Beaufort, S.C. public school system as a teacher and administrator, working as an English and Spanish teacher, department chair and teacher of journalism.

“As department chair she developed a Tech Prep curriculum and implemented a ‘small learning community’ for at-risk students.

In 2003, she was named assistant principal for Hilton Head High School, where she oversaw the English and social studies departments. In that job she developed an after-school credit recovery program and created an alternative program for at-risk students.

In 2006, Somers was appointed head of the School of Arts, Communication and Technology at Beaufort High School, where she “developed a dual enrollment program with a local community college, implemented an advisor/advisee program and developed partnerships with numerous local businesses and the local arts council,” according to the Darien school district’s news release.

Brenner said in the interview Wednesday that he and members of the search panel, which included Darien school parents were impressed by Somers. After the parents on the panel did their own research, he said, “they were fully supportive” of hiring Somers.

“She’s a really thoughtful educator who really understands middle school education, and she’s had tremendous success working with a similar population of kids and parents,” he said in the interview. “That’s a unique skill set for a place like Darien. […] I think you’re hard pressed to find a middle school principal who’s done a better job.”

“Darien is lucky to have the opportunity to hire someone with Ms. Somers’ record of success,” Brenner said in the news release. “I am sure, given her experience and wisdom working with middle school children and their parents in Greenwich that her transition to Middlesex Middle School will be seamless. I am confident that the school/community will embrace her and her leadership style and all she brings as their new principal.”

Greenwich Free Press reported that in a message sent Wednesday morning to Central Middle School parents in Greenwich, Somers said in part:

I have had a wonderful experience at CMS, and have so enjoyed working with you and your students for the past six years. I appreciate the friendship and support you have shown me, and I will truly miss your kids! Thanks for everything.   Shelley

According to the news release, when Somers was told that she was the board’s unanimous choice for the job, she said: “I am thrilled to be coming to the Darien Public Schools and to lead Middlesex Middle School. After going through the interview process and being so kindly welcomed, I can’t wait to become part of the Middlesex community.”

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