Riverside-Brookfield High School’s former principal and superintendent, Jack Baldermann has landed a new job. On June 15, the board of education in Hartford, Conn., named Baldermann its new director of secondary schools.
Reached on Monday afternoon, Baldermann said that he’ll be serving as a supervisor, mentor and colleague for principals at Hartford’s 16 high schools, particularly ones “wanting to make progress through intervention.”
“I’ve been all over the country and this district is really serious about improving education,” Baldermann said, “about being innovative and very progressive in their approach.”
Hartford’s schools several years ago, according to a blog post on the Hartford Public Schools Web site by the district’s superintendent, Steven Adamowski, was the “lowest-performing school district in the state.”
Since he was hired in 2006, Adamowski has overhauled the school district and state test scores continue to improve. He is expected to retire in 2011.
Baldermann said that Hartford administrators have made great strides, “but still admit they have a lot of work to do. I didn’t want to go someplace without making a difference.”
Baldermann called his new position, “a significant step up from where I was, from supervising one high school to being a leader for many high schools.”
Questions e-mailed to Hartford school board chairwoman Ada Miranda were referred to Adamowski, who could not be reached prior to press time.
– Bob Uphues
