Education
• 2007-2009 Central Connecticut State University , New Britain, CT
o Certificate program for Superintendent
• 1999-2001 Southern Connecticut State University, New Haven, CT
o 6th year degree in educational leadership
• 1990-1993: Southern Connecticut State University, New Haven, CT
o Masters of Science in Education/Reading Instruction
• 1988: University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT
• 1982-1987: Southern Connecticut State University, New Haven, CT
o Bachelors of Science in English Education
• 1981-82: Albertus Magnus College, New Haven, CT
Connecticut Certifications
• Superintendent of Schools – 093
• Intermediate Administrator – 092
• Reading/Language Arts Consultant, K through 12 – 097
• English/Language Arts, 7 through 12 – 015
Experience
2019 to present: Adjunct Professor, Educational Leadership, Central Connecticut State University
2013-present: Superintendent of Schools, Old Saybrook Public Schools
• Facilitate the creation and implementation fo the 2016-2021 strategic plan.
• Plan for creation of 2021-2026 strategic plan
• Supervise administrative and supervisory personnel and, through them, all employees
• Prepare, submit and recommend action to the Board of Education
• Prepare, submit and advise upon financial recommendation and status to the Board of Education
• Inform the Board of Education about programs, practices, activities and challenges in the schools in district.
• Serve as spokesperson and liaison to all stakeholders on behalf of the Board of Education
• Serve as liaison between the Board of Education and personnel
• Lead and direct instructional programming
• Ensure best practices based on current research related to learning
• Create and implement an action plan with long and short-term goals
• Ensure appropriate use of resources and adherence to strategic plan
• Maintain an effective and cooperative professional relationship with community agencies
• Implement the vision for the District
• Facilitate and lead negotiations with certified and non-certified staff through collective bargaining or individual contract bargaining.
• Ensure that policies are in place and followed in accordance with local charter and recommendations and state and federal law.
• Oversee the administration of the operating and capital maintenance budgets
• Create and implement consistent, fair and legal personnel practices
• Ensure talent acquisition and retention
2009-2013: Assistant Superintendent for Personnel, Wallingford Public Schools
• Orchestrate hiring process for all district staffing needs
• Coordinate and chair interview committees for administrators; hiring seven building level administrators, an assistant superintendent , adult education director and pupil personnel director since August of 2009
• Chair negotiation team for bargaining unit contracts
• Conduct grievance meetings
• Review leave requests and present them for approval to the Board of Education
• Represent the Board of Education at labor board and arbitration hearings
• Chair Community Partnerships and Communications Strategic Planning Committees
• Serve as district facilitator for TEAM and chair TEAM Coordinating Committee
• Serve as Title IX Coordinator
• Serve as chair for the Teacher Evaluation Committee
• Conduct Employee Discipline Due Process Interviews
• Lead the District’s Teacher of the Year and Paraprofessional of the Year Committee
• Write and present policies and regulations in the areas of personnel, student bullying and harassment, field trips and anti-discrimination
• Create and update job descriptions
• Supervise and evaluate administrators at high schools and adult education program
• Serve as District Climate Coordinator
• Coordinate professional development for district paraprofessionals
• Implemented technology to automate processes for substitute services, candidate application and tracking and on-line employee training
• Represent central office on curriculum management teams for Models of Excellence, District Climate and Guidance Management
• Conduct monthly meetings with executive board members of seven of the district’s nine bargaining unit executive boards
• Prepare annual budget for $60,000,000 personnel account and participate in entire budget process
• Serve on town-wide employee safety, risk management and employee wellness committees
• Serve on district professional development committee
• Present to Wallingford Town Council on contracts and job descriptions
2003-2009: Principal, Lyme-Old Lyme High School, Old Lyme, CT
• Oversaw the creation of vision and mission statements as well as learner expectations for the school
• Ex-officio member of board appointed building committee and education specification committee for a proposed $48,000,000 renovation project during pre-construction phase
• Served on the district curriculum committee
• Served on the high school technology committee
• Created and implemented daily schedule that lengthened classes to one hour
• Conducted and coordinated interviews for certified and non-certified staff
• Coordinated major events including: graduation, awards assemblies, freshman picnic and opening day events
• Coordinated building level professional development
• Disaggregated data and presented standardized test scores to parent groups, faculty, students and board of education
• Directed the NEASC self-evaluation process and coordinated scheduling of NEASC accreditation team visit and follow-up reports
• Created security positions and hired a greeter and campus facilitator
• Created annual operating budget for the school
• Evaluated certified and non-certified staff
• Facilitated CRISS Training and similar professional development activities for school and district staff
2001-2003: Assistant Principal, Coginchaug Regional High School, Durham, CT
• Responsible for student discipline and conflict resolution for 565 students
• Coordinated and organized all day-to-day use of the school building facilities and authorized building repair and maintenance
• Co-created master schedule and initiated use of computerized scheduling
• Served as administrative liaison to eleven million dollar building project during the construction phase
• Created campus security position
• Served on employment interview committees for certified and non-certified staff
• Created and advised Cadet Teaching Program
• Coordinated school events including: freshman orientation, parent organization events, awards events and graduation
• Served on town wide safety committee charged with task of coordinating safety, evacuation efforts for emergencies
• Served on elementary principal search committee
1998-2001: English Department Chairperson, Cheshire High School, Cheshire, CT
• Created a remedial reading program and wrote curriculum and supervised delivery and instruction as well as supervised the writing of all English curriculum
• Developed a literacy portfolio
• Wrote postings, conducted interviews and assisted in hiring certified staff
• Served as master mentor, mentor and cooperating teacher
• Conducted observations, guest taught and team taught in beginning teachers’ classrooms
• Chaired student early intervention program
• Coordinated language arts transition teams using CMT and portfolio data for placement
• Served on committee charged with the task of creating new teacher evaluation documents
• Coordinated summer reading
• Disaggregated and presented language arts CAPT results to parents, students, teachers, board of education and media
• Served on the system-wide language arts committee charged with the tasks of creating, aligning and articulating the language arts curriculum from K through 12th grade
1987-2001: Teacher of English, Cheshire High School, Cheshire, CT
• Taught high school English and grade nine reading remediation
• Wrote Curriculum for A.P English and taught A.P. Language and Composition and remedial reading
• Advised student newspaper and one act plays
• Served on principal search and interview committee
• Chaired NEASC Administration/Leadership Committee
Professional Committees and Experiences in the Last Twelve Months
• Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents (CAPSS): First Vice-President of the Board of Directors
• CAPSS: Legislative Committee Co-Chair
• Middlesex Shoreline Superintendents Association, Chair
• Old Saybrook COVID-19 Emergency Management Team
• LEARN Region Reopen Connecticut Task Force
• Old Saybrook Long Range Recovery Committee, Child Development and Education Sub-Committee Leader
• School Indoor Air Quality Committee, Senator Bob Duff, Chair
• CT Socio-Emotional Learning Collaborative Committee
• Old Saybrook Chamber of Commerce
• Old Saybrook Education Foundation : ex-officio member
• Old Saybrook Rotary Club: New Generations Committee Co-Chair, Foundation President
• Adjunct Professor at Central CT State University
Professional Presentations and Publications
• Co-authored “Ensuring Your Next Job is the Right Job” School Administrator Magazine, October 2020
• Panelist for national webinar: “What Will Schools Look Like When the Closure Ends?” sponsored by SEEK
• Community Presentations regarding school closures caused by COVID-19 and planning for reopening
Personal
Jan currently lives in Essex, Connecticut with her husband, Greg. She is the mother of Timothy and is an active member of her church community.
Past AASA Connecticut Superintendent of the Year Winners:
2022 Connecticut Superintendent of the Year: Thomas Moore
2021 Connecticut Superintendent of the Year: Paul Freeman
2020 Connecticut Superintendent of the Year: Kathleen C. Greider
About the Award:
The Superintendent of the Year program, sponsored by First Student and AASA, pays tribute to the talent and vision of the men and women who lead the nation’s public schools.
State-level winners are selected on the following criteria:
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- Leadership for Learning
- Communication
- Professionalism
- Community Involvement