Jones Early Childhood Center Getting A Full-Time Principal

STOUGHTON, MA — For the first time, the Jones Early Childhood Center will have a principal that is exclusive to the building.

The school committee Tuesday night approved a reorganization plan that will eliminate the assistant principal position at the school, but creates a full-time principal position by combining the salaries of the assistant principal position and the stipend given to the person who served as a nominal principal.

The change comes as Administrative Principal Heather Tucker prepares to leave. Superintendent Marguerite Rizzi told the committee that she would like to offer the new position to current assistant principal Maureen Sacoco. The plan does require approval from the union to not post the job opening.

In past years, an elementary school principal would receive a stipend for serving as a nominal principal. Tucker has served as the school's head in recent years while also serving as the administrator of special education.

Rizzi said the past practices were unsatisfactory and called the reorganization long overdue.

"(The move) signals that we see it as a program with the validity of the other schools. This is not the time we would do an organization but we have this particular transition in staff which makes it a good time to do it," Rizzi said.

Committee Chairperson Molly Cochran added, "I certainly think there are some enormously important things that happen in that school from the ELL classes to the special needs classes to the Title I classes and to have top-flight administration there I think is important."

The Jones Early Childhood Center is home to about 150 preschool students.

Image via Stoughton Public Schools