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District gains two new principals

By Courtney Llewellyn

Reminder Assistant Editor



LONGMEADOW The search for new principals is finally over for the Longmeadow school district.

During the May 27 School Committee meeting, Superintendent E. Jahn Hart announced that Kimberly Stillwell will become principal for Wolf Swamp Elementary School and Chris Collins will be the new principal for Williams Middle School.

"We were very fortunate we had outstanding candidates and finalists," Hart stated. "[The selected administrators] are very energetic, enthusiastic, engaging people and I look forward to working with them."

She added that two "absolutely outstanding" people will be leaving the district as well Wolf Swamp principal John Ciesluk will be retiring after 20 years of service and Williams principal Mary Ann Sedran will be retiring after 29 years of service in the district.

Collins, who is currently the principal of Greenfield Middle School, told the School Committee, "The expectation of excellence is such a draw in this community. I'm really appreciative of the opportunity to be here."

In an interview with Reminder Publications, Collins said he liked working with middle school-aged children because "they're so changeable day to day it makes my work interesting."

He said the two things that struck him the most during his visit to Williams Middle School were the kids and the adults in the building.

"The kids were great," Collins stated. "I spent a few minutes at each table during all three lunch periods and they were all really engaging."

He added that he met with almost all the adults in the building as well and was impressed with how committed everyone was to their jobs.

"My first goal as principal is to get to know the adults and learn what the school is passionate about," Collins said. "Then I'll meet with parents and get to know everyone."

Collins officially starts at Williams in mid-July.

"Longmeadow's reputation for being a high performing school district, with supportive parents, a super teaching staff and dedicated professionals" are what drew Stillwell to Wolf Swamp.

"All the pieces are in place," she said.

Stillwell is currently serving as a speech language pathologist and interim school principal at Maple Street School in Easthampton. This will be her first full principalship.

The three things that really stood out to her during her visit to Wolf Swamp: the beautiful facility, the quality of teaching and the support of the staff and the "incredible" support of the school's PTO.

"I'm already thinking of goals, but they're not very dramatic," she said. "I want to focus on relationship building, getting to know the community of Longmeadow and continuing the collaborative leadership of Wolf Swamp."

She added that she plans on getting to know Longmeadow better by biking the entire town this summer.

Stillwell will begin July 1.