Asst. Principals Promoted; Supe Says Farewell

Hillhouse, Coop, Troup, and King Robinson will all see new assistant principals next school year, thanks to the latest promotions approved by the Board of Education — which also said goodbye to the city’s superintendent just days before her retirement.

The Board of Education voted unanimously to OK those assistant principal promotions as well as the hiring of a new New Haven Public Schools (NHPS) director of early learning programs at its latest regular biweekly meeting on Monday. 

Monday also marked soon-to-retire NHPS Supt. Iline Tracey’s last school board meeting. Tracey filled the four administrative slots in collaboration with incoming superintendent Madeline Negrón.

The hybrid Board of Ed meeting took place in person at Barack Obama Magnet School on Farnham Avenue and online via Zoom. 

The newly appointed assistant principals include Jonathan Berryman, Talima Andrews-Harris, Emma Papandrea, and Caroline Apgar. Board of Education Secretary Edward Joyner described Tracey’s recommendations for hires and promotions at Monday’s meeting as ​“first round draft choices.” 

Click here to view Monday’s approved personnel report in full.

At Monday’s meeting the newly promoted and hired educators shared remarks celebrating their ascents within the district.

Jonathan Q. Berryman was promoted from administrative intern at Hill Regional Career High School to assistant principal at Hillhouse High School with a starting salary of $133,325. His official start date in the new role is Aug. 23. 

Tracey shared brief highlights of Berryman’s and others’ careers during the meeting. She said that Berryman began his teaching career in 1985 as a part-time music teacher at Co-Op High School then was inspired him to get his teaching credentials to become a full time educator. 

After a year and a half teaching in Bridgeport, Berryman joined NHPS. 

Over his career he has taught at Fair Haven School, Betsy Ross, and Barnard. At Barnard he served as climate leader for four years. 

Tracey said Career principal Shawn True said Berryman did ​“very well” leading the entire junior class while interning at Career for the 2022 – 23 school year. While at Career, Berryman organized Career assemblies celebrating Hispanic Heritage, Black History, and Pride Month.

In his thank you remarks on Monday, Berryman said he looks forward to ​“making sure that our students receive a free and appropriate public education to the best of our ability.” 

He said he is standing on shoulders of giants who have mentored him over the years. 

“I am looking forward to serving more deeply, more widely to include all stakeholders in this wonderful process of self discovery that produced the great people that Hillhouse has done for many many years,” Berryman concluded. 

Veteran educator Caroline Apgar was promoted to assistant principal at Troup School. 

She joined NHPS in 2007 as a middle school English Arts teacher, spent eight years as a Read 180 and ELA teacher, then a literacy coach, and most recently was the district’s 7 – 12th grade ELA lead teacher. Over the years Apgar has led professional development sessions for her fellow educators. Her starting salary is $131,460 and she is set to begin Aug. 23.

She too thanked the district for the promotion and thanked the many mentors that have helped her along the years. 

“I’ve spent my entire career in New Haven and I’ve been incredibly blessed to continue to develop in New Haven,” she said. 

Talima Andrews-Harris Zoomed into Monday’s meeting to thank the superintendent and board for promoting her from magnet school resource teacher at ESUMS to assistant principal at Cooperative Arts & Humanities High School. 

“She has led an impressive career as a teacher leader nationally and globally,” Tracey said of Andrews-Harris. 

Andrews-Harris has been a public school teacher in Atlanta and now in Connecticut for more than 20 years. Her starting starting salary for her new role is $131,460 and she officially begins Aug. 23.

Tracey added that Andrews-Harris has designed and implemented ​“behavior management systems” and curriculums in restorative justice during her career. 

Andrews-Harris is also president of the Connecticut HBCU alumni network. 

In brief remarks on Zoom, Andrews-Harris thanked NHPS for her appointment. 

“I look forward to my new team at Coop and I look forward to a phenomenal successful year,” she said. 

Emma Papandrea was promoted from an instructional math coach at Worthington Hooker School to assistant principal at King Robinson Magnet School. Her starting salary is $129,104 and she begins Aug. 23. 

“Emma takes on leadership positions without anyone having to ask her, she goes above and beyond her duties and does what Is best for students,” Tracey said about Papandrea. 

Papandrea thanked Tracey and the board for her promotion and said she is excited for the new school year. 

Vanessa Diaz-Valencia was also hired at Monday’s meeting as the district’s next director of early learning programs, which is a 12-month position.

Tracey described her as having a ​“wealth of experience” as she is finishing up working as the assistant director of curriculum instruction and programs for Hartford Public Schools. 

In Hartford, Diaz-Valencia oversaw the Early Childhood Program for the K‑5 department. 

Her starting salary is $161,101 and her start date is July 10. 

“She will be very helpful with us in this LETRS training that’s now going on in New Haven, she was trained in this LETRS training as part of the science of reading,” Tracey said. 

Diaz-Valencia thanked the board for the opportunity to move her career to NHPS. 

Diaz-Valencia has three sons, one of whom lives with autism. With her years of experiences in public education, she said she is ​“so hopeful to bring some of my professional and personal experience to the work.” 

“Spending eight years in Hartford Public Schools I’m really excited to be a part of the New Haven Public Schools family,” she added. 

At the conclusion of Monday’s meeting board members gave a final thanks to Tracey for her decades of service with NHPS, as she officially retires on Friday. 

Joyner said Tracey did a great job considering she inherited a broken system that was ​“cannibalizing itself.” 

“You brought a level of stability to this system,” he said of Tracey. 

School board Vice President Matt Wilcox said he’s enjoyed working with Tracey and wished her ​“well-needed rest” once retired. 

Board member Abie Benitez also gave thanks to Tracey for her service. She offered retirement advice to Tracey that ​“you will not be relaxed in retirement. Retirement will find its way to make you [do] a lot of reading, a lot of writing, a lot of thinking and I’m sure you’re not going to stay home.” 

Benitez’s final tip was to start her day after 10 a.m. and before that to only focus on taking care of herself. 

Fellow board member Orlando Yarbrough gave thanks to Tracey for her willingness to ​“teach and to share what you know and what you have experienced.” 

“Thank you for showing up each day. There were even time when you were sick but still sending emails, on calls, being in meetings, and taking your roles and responsibilities seriously,” he said. 

Mayor Justin Elicker said he’s admired Tracey’s strength over the years. ​“You have incredible strength that we have leaned on throughout this very very difficult time,” he said. 

Board President Yesenia Rivera also thanked Tracey for helping to lead the district and board alongside her starting in 2020. ​“I wish you lots of health, relaxation, and I wish that you instead of digging your heels now at a board meeting that you now dig your heels hopefully in a nice sandy beach somewhere,” Rivera said. 

“Thank you board for unanimously making Iline Tracey our superintendent so that we can lead our way out of the darkness into the light and Dr. Negrón will lead us further,” Joyner added.