Roy picked for Hale's position at Wilbraham Middle School

Date: 12/7/2009

By Courtney Llewellyn

Reminder Assistant Editor



WILBRAHAM -- A chain of events had left some gaps in the administration of the Hampden-Wilbraham Regional School District. Dr. Paul Gagliarducci retired as superintendent, and high school principal M. Martin O'Shea was selected as his successor. Timothy Connor soon stepped up to serve as Minnechaug's interim principal while the search for permanent replacements took place.

Now, the gaps have been filled.

Stephen Hale, who had been serving as the principal at Wilbraham Middle School, was recently named the new principal for Minnechaug Regional High School, and Daniel Roy has been named Hale's replacement at the middle school.

Roy is a Wilbraham resident who served as assistant principal at Quaboag Regional Middle/High School in Warren, Mass., since 2008. Before that, he worked as a history teacher, an academic coordinator and as assistant principal at North Andover Middle School. He earned his bachelor's degree in history from the University of Hartford, his master's in education from Fitchburg State College and a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study in Educational Leadership from Salem State College.

Roy will begin his tenure as Wilbraham Middle School principal on Dec. 7.

"The position was appealing for many reasons," Roy told Reminder Publications. "My wife and I moved to town because the schools are excellent and the chance to work in the system was a great opportunity ... I have been working in middle schools for the past 15 years and the chance to be a principal of a great middle school was too good to pass up."

Roy noted that his experience at Quaboag, working directly with students in grades seven through 12, has given him insight as to what middle school students need to prepare themselves for high school.

"We had many good applicants for this position, but Dan Roy rose to the top of the list after the interviews and site visits," O'Shea stated in a press release. "His credentials, high level of energy, depth of experience in curriculum and student growth and development, as well as his obvious commitment to middle school students and their families, set him apart from the others."

Over 50 applicants showed interest in the position, which "says something about the position and the district," according to O'Shea.

Roy met with the School Committee during their Nov. 24 meeting, and committee chair Peter Salerno said there were going to be some high expectations of him.

"My first goal would be to get to know the students, staff and parents who make up the Wilbraham Middle School community," Roy said. "I would also like to continue the school's tradition of excellence. As far as more specific goals, I want to be in the job a while so I can learn about the school and then make some more formal plans."