Boston Public Schools Names Eight New Principals, Headmasters

Boston, MA - Boston Public Schools named eight new principals and headmasters for the upcoming school year Monday, several of whom previously served in an interim role and now transition to a permanent position.

Here are there names and a brief description, courtesy BPS:

Emily Bozeman, Headmaster, Brighton High School

Bozeman was appointed Interim Headmaster of Brighton High School (BHS) for the 2015-2016 school year. Bozeman began her teaching career at BHS, teaching English to students with special needs for 9 years. Bozeman co-chaired Brighton's Steering Committee throughout the multi-year process of accreditation. Bozeman was awarded Boston's Educator of the Year Award in 2012 and joined the Lynch Leadership Academy's first ever Aspiring Principals cohort in 2013. Her commitment to the Brighton High School community inspired her appointment as Interim Headmaster, and she carries that same motivation into her permanent placement. Bozeman earned her Masters in Education from UMass Boston and currently resides in West Roxbury.

Carmen Davis, Principal, Irving Middle School

At Urban Science Academy, Davis served as a facilitator for Instructional Rounds, co-leader of the Instructional Leadership Team, and chair of the Mathematics Department. In June 2013, she was named a Boston Public Schools Educator of the Year. Previously, Davis served as the director of instruction of math and science for two years at the Lilla G. Frederick Pilot Middle School. Davis has continued to grow as a school leader in her role as the Lynch Principal Fellow at the Mozart Elementary. She also works as a part-time consultant to the Knowles Science Teaching Foundation, working with current teaching fellows from across the country to explore the concept of teacher leadership from various perspectives and contexts. Davis holds a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from Hampton University and a Master of Education in Secondary Education, with a focus on urban education, from Boston College.

Monakatellia Ford, Principal, Winship Elementary School

Ford has served as interim principal of the F. Lyman Winship Elementary School for the past year. She began her teaching career at the Young Achievers Science and Mathematics Pilot School. Her desire to impact a greater number of children in Boston led her to the Dever-McCormack Middle School in Dorchester, where she served as assistant principal for two years. Ford is a proud graduate of Boston Public Schools' Another Course to College (ACC). She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education from Temple University, Master's Degree in Elementary Education from Cambridge College, and Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies in Educational Leadership from Simmons College. Ford resides in Dorchester.

Claudia Gutierrez, Principal, Mario Umana Academy

Gutierrez currently serves as interim principal at the Mario Umana Academy. She started as an administrator at Umana Academy in March 2014, managing the day-to-day operations of the school and facilitating best practices to advance achievement. Gutierrez works to improve instruction specifically for students with disabilities and English language learners, leading the implementation and expansion of Umana's dual language program. Gutierrez has worked for the Boston Public Schools for more than twenty years, beginning her career as a bilingual teacher at the McKay School. She has a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Northeastern University, a Master's degree in Education from Eastern Nazarene College, and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of Phoenix. Gutierrez residents in Hyde Park.

Elvis Henriquez, Principal, McCormack Middle School

Henriquez has worked as a principal fellow at the Warren/Prescott School this year and recently transitioned into the interim principal position at Community Academy. Henriquez began his teaching career at the English High School as a bilingual math teacher in 2000. He then transitioned to the Josiah Quincy Upper School where he continued to hone his skills as a math teacher at the middle and high school levels. After finishing his graduate studies at Boston College, he returned to English High School where he taught math for three years. Henriquez earned Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Education from Boston College. He resides in Dorchester.

Samantha Varano, Principal, Edison School

Varano currently serves as interim principal of the Edison, where she began her teaching career as a 6th-grade teacher. While continuing to teach, she became involved with the Boston Teacher Residency Program, serving as a mentor teacher and site director for three years. After seven years in the classroom, Varano transitioned to the role of assistant principal in 2009 when the Edison was named a K-8 Pathways school. She received a Bachelor's degree from Wheelock College and a Master's in Educational Administration from the University of Massachusetts Boston, and completed a year at Boston College in the Lynch Leadership Aspiring Principals Program.

Andrew Vega, Principal, Bates Elementary School

Vega currently serves as interim principal at the Phineas Bates Elementary School, where he also served as a principal fellow in 2014-2015. Vega began his teaching career in Los Angeles, his hometown, where he taught high school English. In 2010, he moved to Boston to join the team at Orchard Gardens K-8 Pilot School. While at Orchard Gardens, Vega taught 8th grade English as part of the team that elevated the school from Level 4 to Level 1 status. Vega received a Bachelor's degree in English from UCLA and a Masters in Secondary Education from Loyola Marymount University. He lives in Dorchester.

Geoffrey Walker, Headmaster, Fenway High School

Walker has been an education professional for more than 16 years, working as a teacher, program director, assistant principal, and principal. Walker worked in several Boston public schools as the program director of the America SCORES Boston soccer and writing program. Later, he taught at both the McKay School and English High School. He served as the academic director at Madison Park, assistant principal at the Timilty, Principal of the Rogers and, most recently, as principal of the Escola Americana in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. Walker earned his Bachelor of Arts in Education from Brown University and his Master's degree in School Leadership from the Harvard Graduate School of Education as an Urban Education Scholar and Conant Fellow.