Published May 8, 2019
By DAN TOMASELLO
LYNNFIELD — Huckleberry Hill Principal Brian Bemiss is leaving the elementary school at the end of the academic year.
Bemiss is moving on from Huckleberry Hill after accepting a position at the Fisher Elementary School in Walpole. He has led Huckleberry Hill for the past 10 years.
“It was a very difficult decision,” said Bemiss in an interview with the Villager. “I made the decision with my family in mind and the need to be closer to home.”
Bemiss, who lives in Franklin with his wife and 8-year-old triplets, said he “didn’t just want to move anywhere for a shorter commute because Huckleberry Hill is a special place.”
“I wanted to be in a school with a supportive community that values education just like Lynnfield,” said Bemiss. “The Walpole School District is well thought of and it was the only job I applied for. A good opportunity came up and I went for it. When I began to look at principal openings closer to home, my goal was to find a place that shared my vision of a safe, supportive and effective school and community. Huckleberry Hill and Lynnfield are the standard by which I’ve come to measure a community’s support for their child’s education and each other.”
BRIAN BEMISS
Huckleberry Hill principal
Bemiss said he will miss working at Huckleberry Hill.
“Working at Huckleberry Hill School has been the greatest professional experience I have had in my 20 years in education,” said Bemiss. “I am going to miss all of the students, teachers and parents. I am going to miss my colleagues on the Administrative Leadership Team, who have been a privilege to work with. Superintendent Jane Tremblay has been a fantastic boss.”
Tremblay said the school district will miss Bemiss.
“Mr. Bemiss has been at the helm of Huckleberry Hill School for the past 10 years,” said Tremblay in an email sent to parents. “As a result of his leadership and guidance, Huckleberry is a warm and loving haven for students and adults to continuously learn and grow. He will be greatly missed and not soon forgotten.”
Before coming to Huckleberry Hill, Bemiss taught fifth grade at the Birch Meadow Elementary School in Reading for 10 years. He previously taught fifth grade in Melrose for two years.
In the wake of Bemiss’ looming departure from Huckleberry Hill, Tremblay has decided to search for an interim principal for the 2019-2020 school year.
“A principal search is not ideal this late in the year, therefore I’ve posted internally for this position,” said Tremblay. “The position will be posted for 10 days. At the end of that time, I will review the resumes with my Leadership Team and make a decision as to whether we need to extend our search outside of the Lynnfield Public Schools.”
Tremblay said she will keep parents posted on the principal search. She informed the Villager the deadline to apply is Thursday, May 9.
Bemiss is the second administrator to leave the school district in the past year. Former Student Services Director Kara Mauro left Lynnfield Public Schools last September after accepting Wakefield Public Schools’ assistant superintendent job. Student Services Director Roberta Keane succeeded Mauro.
