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05/16/2017 12:00 AMAfter close to four years as East Haven’s superintendent of schools, Dr. Portia Bonner will not be returning next school year. He last day will be Friday, June 30, and the Board of Education (BOE) is now beginning the process of selecting her successor.
The BOE voted in May 2016 to not renew Bonner’s contract. Almost a full year later, the board passed a motion to internally post the job description for superintendent at its May 9 meeting.
“What the board is looking for is someone that can unite the team,” said Board of Education Chairman John Finkle.
Finkle said the board is looking internally to reduce the time of the cycle, and so that whoever steps in would already be familiar with the district. He also mentioned the success of certain schools, such as East Haven Academy, and wants to take what the board has learned with that school and apply it to all schools.
Finkle said that hiring internally will lead to stability with the position, adding he doesn’t want to bring somebody in who will try to lead the board in a different direction.
For her part, Bonner, who was hired in July 2013 to replace a retiring Anthony Serio, said that as much as she enjoyed her time in East Haven, the move wasn’t unexpected.
“Unfortunately this is the life of a superintendent,” said Bonner, “Boards change; so do superintendents.”
Bonner said the best part for her was getting to work with and for children in the school system.
“It’s a district with good bones, as I used to say,” she said, “Meaning that there’s so much potential here for students to really excel.”
In the timeframe that she was there, Bonner said that students’ academic performance had improved based on state testing. She said that one of the areas in particular that had improved was literacy, an area of focus for her.
Besides the children, Bonner said every day was different, and she never knew what to expect.
“There was always either excitement coming from students or concerns coming from parents,” said Bonner, “I would say, primarily, I had good experiences with the parents and community here.”
She also spoke about the partnerships with groups in the community that helped the schools during her time there. She said that these organizations, such as the Rotary Club, the Chamber of Commerce, and East Haven United, have aided the schools through scholarships and donations.
The fire and police departments also helped with getting the schools’ crisis plans together, with protocols and procedures to assist with safety. She said the Police Department was especially helpful, and would send cars out if there was an issue at one of the schools.
Bonner wanted to acknowledge instructional leaders and principals for their work during her tenure, saying that the principals are very focused with where the schools need to improve. In just four years, teachers have had to adjust to changes in state-mandated student testing. She also praised her administrative team.
“I have a great, great administrative team,” said Bonner, “Very, very bright individuals who are smart, think outside the box, innovative, not afraid to take risks and try some new things.”
One of the things Bonner has hoped to see through was a vision of what the school district would look like in the next 5 to 10 years, with declining enrollment and aging facilities. She said it’s a long-term investment that started with the closing and consolidation of one building last year, and the Board of Education needs to move forward with the next phase, and consider the renovation components to the buildings they’ll be maintaining.
“It’s really about getting the board and the town on the same page working together to be able to implement some portion of that plan,” said Bonner, “Down the road it will have some savings for the town in terms of the number of buildings they’re running, but it also improves the facilities for the students.”
As for what’s next for Bonner, she said she will definitely stay in education, and will most likely look for a superintendent position in another district.
“To me, that’s my calling in life,” she said.
She also shared some advice for her successor.
“Be grounded, be steady, be intentional, know the needs of the district, and really try to focus in on those needs, set those goals, and be actively trying to attain those goals,” she said.