Rita M. Ferri, principal of Hindley Elementary School, from the Darien Public Schools website[/caption]
Rita Ferri, principal of the Blue Ribbon Award-winning Hindley Elementary School, will step down from her post at the end of the next school year.
The Board of Education voted Tuesday night to accept her retirement this summer — and then immediately accepted a proposal from Interim Superintendent Lynne Pierson to keep Ferri on the job as a temporary principal for another school year. Each of the board’s votes was unanimous.
Board Chair Elizabeth Hagerty-Ross and Pierson indicated that Ferri is a valued school administrator, and when the principal decided to retire, discussions were held with school district officials on how the district might keep her a bit longer. Pierson said she was proposing that Ferri stay on “with relief and great appreciation.”
Pierson told board members that Dr. Dan Brenner, who will become the new superintendent of schools later this month, discussed the possibility of Ferri remaining on the job, spoke with Ferri and was “highly supportive” of the idea of keeping her for another year.