Curtin named principal of Soule Road Elementary School

Date: 7/11/2011

July 11, 2011

By Chris Maza

Reminder Assistant Editor

WILBRAHAM — The Hampden-Wilbraham Regional School District (HWRSD) has found its replacement for retiring Soule Road Elementary School Principal Mary Goodwin.

Lisa Curtin has been selected to succeed Goodwin and will begin work on July 25. She will be introduced to the School Committee at its July 12 meeting.

“I think her background in curriculum and instruction with an emphasis on literacy set her above the rest of the candidates,” Superintendent M. Martin O’Shea said. “She came with a strong background in teaching and academic coaching.”

Curtin comes to Soule Road from Lt. Clayre P. Sullivan Elementary School in Holyoke, a school serving approximately 600 students in kindergarten through eighth grade. At Sullivan, Curtin served as a literacy coach and later assistant principal. She also has teaching experience in the South Hadley school system and the Hampshire Educational Collaborative.

“She comes from a school that has been reorganized in a way similar to the way Soule Road has been reorganized,” O’Shea said. “She has experiences in a lot of areas of elementary education.”

He also added that Holyoke’s increased focus on providing programs and professional development opportunities “worked in Lisa’s favor as well.”

Of the eight applicants interviewed, O’Shea said that Curtin’s personality also stood out as a major factor in the decision to hire her.

“The energy and enthusiasm she has shows that she is someone who will enrich Soule Road and enrich our administrative team,” O’Shea said.

He noted the transition in principals will be especially smooth, given the fact Goodwin and Curtin will have time to work together before the departure of the former.

“Mary Goodwin has been very involved in the transition,” O’Shea said. “We had the benefit of being able to bring Lisa in at a time when she was able to meet with Mary and get all of her questions answered.”