| Appointment of Steward School Principal
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March 18, 2009
Dear Members of the Steward School Community,
I am pleased to announce that Mrs. Michelle Costa has accepted my appointment to be the Steward School Principal effective in July, 2009. She is very excited about the appointment and the opportunity to lead and support teaching and learning at Steward.
Mrs. Costa is currently a second grade teacher at the Steward School. She has also taught first grade at Steward. As a Topsfield faculty member since 2000 Mrs. Costa has served in a variety of leadership roles at Steward and in the district including: Coordinator of the Mentor Program for new teachers; Curriculum Mentor, Teacher in Charge. This year she has led a study group to investigate Response to Intervention (RTI).
Mrs. Costa earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Sociology from Colby College and her Master of Education Degree from Lesley University. She completed a program leading to licensure as a principal through the Merrimack Leadership Academy. She was a finalist in the Massachusetts Teacher of the Year program in 2007. Michelle and her husband David and their daughter Lucy live in a nearby community on the Northshore.
Those who have worked with her describe Michelle as a natural leader who is a good listener, confident in her beliefs and an effective problem solver who includes the voices of many when making decisions to help build our capacity as a learning organization. She has been actively involved in focusing on student learning as the primary mission of our schools. She understands the developmental needs of children as they transition from home based learning to school based learning environments. Michelle is a strong teacher with deep classroom experience, a leader who is able to share a vision as a communicator, and a person who is approachable regardless of the situation. She presents herself as enthusiastic, accessible to children and adults, and able to develop productive and respectful relationships within the school community.
I am confident that Mrs. Costa will use her positive energy to continue the deep sense of community at Steward for children, staff and families. She is eager to work with teachers and parents to provide the very best learning experience for Steward. I expect that she and her new colleague Sarah O’Leary at Proctor School will form a strong partnership as we face the challenges before us as a community. I will be asking members of the Principal Search Team and others to work with us to develop and implement a year long Entry Plan that will support Michelle’s transition to her new leadership role.
Sincerely,
Bernard F. Creeden, Superintendent of Schools
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