Please see Friday, May 14th announcement from incoming Newton South Principal Tamara Stras.
| Dear NSHS Students and Families, Over the past few weeks, it has been a pleasure to work with various stakeholders in the South community on the Vice-Principal search process. I want to extend a special thank you to Goldrick Dean, Marc Banks and Special Education Department Chair, Melissa Gamble who co-chaired the VP search process. They did a terrific job throughout the entire search, and I am grateful for their commitment to ensuring that the school would find a highly capable Vice Principal. I am also thankful to the faculty, staff, parents and administrators who participated in the process and asked such thoughtful questions of our finalists. Earlier this week, South had the opportunity to host three excellent and highly qualified finalists. After careful consideration and a thorough review, I am excited to announce that Jason Willams will be appointed to the position of Vice Principal. Throughout the search, Jason impressed us with his passion and knowledge of high school education, his analytic and organizational skills, and his ability to connect with people in various settings. Jason has taught Math at Braintree High School for the past 10 years. The leaders at Braintree High School were complimentary of Jason’s record not just as a classroom teacher, but also as a teacher leader and administrative intern. Jason was described as a quick learner, a thoughtful and reflective leader, loyal, accepting of feedback and, above all, an extremely hard worker. As a teacher and an administrative intern at Braintree High School, Jason co-chaired an Advisory Committee where he created and managed a program that aligned with the district’s strategic plan for health and wellness. Jason has also co-chaired their Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee that investigated disparities in academic success of various student groups based on race, ethnicity, socio-economic status, special education identification, etc. Most recently, Jason has completed a CAGS in Educational Leadership from Curry College. He has also earned a Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Teaching from Fitchburg State University, in addition to a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics Education from Boston University.I am very much looking forward to welcoming Jason to our leadership team. Chris Hardiman will work closely with Jason in the summer months to ensure a seamless transition into the fall; we thank him for all of his hard work and commitment to South the past two years, including setting Jason up for success during this transition. Sincerely, Tamara Stras |
