Michelle Han has been chosen as the new principal for the Winthrop School, which has recently been serving as a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics magnet elementary school.
The Board of Education voted 5-1 to appoint Han to the position, effective July 1. Han, a former Harbor School principal, has been the dean of students at Winthrop School since the consolidation of the student populations of the Harbor School and Nathan Hale School in the 2012-2013 school year. She takes over for Jaye Wilson, who is retiring after 36 years working for New London Public Schools.
Superintendent Nicholas Fischer thanked Wilson for her work in the school, particularly since the opening of the newly renovated Winthrop School midway through the 2011-2012 school year and the start of the STEM magnet program in the 2012-2013 year.
Fischer credited Wilson with bringing 70 additional students into the school.
“Jaye has kind of taken the school off the ground and made it work,” he said.
Han was one of three applicants for the job. Two people applied for the position from within the district while one person applied from outside of the district.
Board Secretary Jason Catala, who voted against the appointment, expressed disbelief at the number of applicants and accused the administration of providing an inaccurate number.
“I find that extremely hard to believe that only three people in the state of Connecticut applied for that position. That is not true,” he said.
Board President Margaret Curtin and Cherese Chery, chief talent and human resources officer for the district, confirmed the number of applicants but each said they were surprised at the final tally. Chery said the position was posted statewide.
“It was quite stunning to us,” she said.
Fischer said principal positions have typically had five to 10 applicants during his tenure as superintendent. Chery said the district is working on finalizing an electronic applicant system and that she thinks more people will apply to jobs in the district once this is complete.
Catala said he thought it was “shameful” that such a program was not in place, saying it had been proposed several years ago. He asked that the application process be investigated and that the principal’s position be advertised again in an effort to increase the number of applicants.
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