Scotland Elementary to Welcome New Principal

RIDGEFIELD, CT — Scotland Elementary School will welcome a new principal this fall. On Thursday, August 4, the Ridgefield Board of Education voted unanimously to support Superintendent Karen Baldwin's recommendation to hire Joanna Genovese as the new principal for Scotland Elementary School.

Genovese is currently principal of Henry Barnard Early Childhood Center in New Rochelle, NY, and was previously Elementary Principal in Weston, CT for 8 years." Joanna's breadth of experience in early childhood and elementary education is a perfect fit for Ridgefield Public Schools," said Ridgefield Superintendent Dr. Karen Baldwin.

The Ridgefield Board of Education said in a release that Genovese’s skills and background in building a positive school climate and creating strong learning communities impressed the search committee and the Board. In New Rochelle, she focused on communication, professional learning, and inclusive practices. She has collaborated with teachers and district leaders to create a learning plan to assist teachers in meeting the demands of the Core Standards in English Language Arts and Mathematics. She has also worked to strengthen the continuum of services for children with special needs in her school and engaged staff in training for a co-teaching model of instruction between special education and general education teachers.

Dr. Baldwin said, "Ms. Genovese is a community builder with a passion for working with children and families. She is an excellent match for our Scotland community and I'm thrilled to welcome her to the leadership team in Ridgefield."

The district anticipates Mrs. Genovese starting in her new role on or around September 1, 2016.