Drew Bairstow Named Cooperative Middle School Principal

Press release from Cookson Communications:

March 31, 2022

The Exeter Region Cooperative School Board voted unanimously to hire Drew Bairstow, of Dover, as the new principal of the Cooperative Middle School (CMS). With 21 years of experience as an educator, Bairstow, who is currently the principal at Lincoln Street School in Exeter, assumes his new role as CMS principal on July 1.

"We are so proud of the growth that Mr. Bairstow has led over the last seven years at Lincoln Street School and the positive impact that he has made with the students, families and community,” said SAU 16 Superintendent Dr. David Ryan. “He has a proven record of data-based decision-making, collaborating with staff in the change process, empathic leadership, technology integration, expanding professional staff knowledge and skills, and more in his 21 years in education. His experience as a middle school teacher and elementary principal makes him an ideal candidate to lead CMS.”

As CMS principal, Bairstow will be responsible for providing leadership in all aspects of instructional programing and teaching practices for student learning, continuing strong relationships with parents and the community involvement, and managing the operations of the school including budget, staffing, etc. He will also have the unique opportunity of reconnecting with many past students from Lincoln Street School who are now at CMS.

Prior to serving as principal of Lincoln Street School, Bairstow was principal at the Fred C. Underhill School in Hooksett for four years and assistant principal at Hooksett Memorial School for three years. Before his educational leadership positions, Bairstow fulfilled various roles in multiple school districts in New Hampshire as a middle school reading and language arts teacher, special education instructional assistant and an English teacher in Thailand.

"I have enjoyed my time at Lincoln Street School working to foster a culture of learning and respect and building positive interpersonal relationships with all members of the community,” said Bairstow. “I am committed to dynamic methods of leadership with the best interest of children in mind. While I will miss my Lincoln Street School family immensely, I am thrilled to continue to serve in SAU 16 and can’t wait to begin working with the students, families and faculty at Cooperative Middle School.”

Bairstow earned both his Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and Communications from Keene State College, Master of Education in Education Administration from Rivier College in Nashua and will soon earn a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies in Education Leadership at New England College in Henniker. He also earned principal and elementary education certifications in New Hampshire.

Bairstow has lived in New Hampshire for more than 20 years and currently resides in Dover with his wife and children.

Cooperative Middle School, part of SAU 16, in Stratham, New Hampshire was originally built in 1998 and is home to 1,200 students in sixth, seventh and eighth grade from Brentwood, Exeter, East Kingston, Kensington, Newfields and Stratham.

This press release was produced by Cookson Communications. The views expressed here are the author's own.