School Board names leaders
Toolbox
By PATRICIA MINICHIELLO Staff Report - Published: June 24, 2009
Rutland City school officials tapped three new leaders to fill top vacancies in the district Tuesday evening.
The board appointed Susanne Engels as director of the district's alternative education SUCCESS program, Jessica Henderson as the assistant principal of Rutland Intermediate School and Kristin Holsman-Francoeur as the assistant principal of Rutland Middle School.
The candidates were chosen from a pool of more than 90 applicants after a screening process of interviews, written assessments and reference checks. A committee of two parents, two teachers, two board members, a student and an administrator recommended the three new hires to Superintendent Mary Moran, who then recommended the candidates to the board.
"We are very proud of your accomplishments so far and we look forward to more in the future," Moran said Tuesday following a round of applause for the new hires.
Engels, the top choice for SUCCESS, has been interim director of the program since December 2008 and a school psychologist since 1994. She is a graduate of Castleton State College's Woodruff Institute for School Leadership. She received a master's degree in clinical psychology from St. Michael's College and an undergraduate degree in special education from University of Vermont. In addition, she was the valedictorian of Rutland High School's graduating class of 1983. Engels replaces Robin Brown, the program's director since 2007, who left in December 2008.
Henderson, Rutland Intermediate School's new assistant principal, has been a special education teacher in the district from 1996 to 2008. She has worked at Rutland Middle School for 11 years and SUCCESS for two years.
Henderson has also worked as a special education case manager for Rutland City Public Schools since 1996. She has a master of arts degree in educational leadership from Castleton State College's Woodruff Institute for School Leadership and a bachelor of arts degree in psychology from Castleton State College. Henderson replaces James Slenker, who will lead the school as principal next year.
Holsman-Francoeur, the newly hired Rutland Middle School assistant principal, is currently assistant principal in charge of grades 5 and 6 at the intermediate school and head of special education for grades 6, 7 and 8. She also oversees special education for grades 7 and 8.
Prior to her administrative role, Holsman-Francoeur was a Spanish teacher in the district for six years. She, too, is a graduate of Castleton State College's Woodruff Institute for School Leadership and holds a master's degree in counseling from Union Institute and a bachelor's degree in Spanish from Middlebury College. Holsman-Francoeur replaces William Olsen, the new high school principal.
During Tuesday's meeting, officials also ratified the staff association contract and extended contracts for both the superintendent and assistant superintendent.
With regard to the staff association contract, the board settled on a two-year contract that includes a 4.15 percent "new money" increase for fiscal year 2010 and a 5.25 percent "new money" increase for 2011.
Board member Collin Fingon said the concept of "new money" refers to salary, health insurance, professional development and workers' compensation, not just salary.
In addition to ratifying the staff association contract, the board extended the superintendent and assistant superintendent's contracts through June 30, 2011.
patricia.minichiello@rutlandherald.com
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