Published January 2, 2025
NORTH READING — The search for a new principal to head North Reading High School starting in the 2025-26 school year is in full swing.
Superintendent of Schools Dr. Patrick C. Daly has announced a field of four finalists to succeed current principal Anthony Loprete, who previously announced his intention to retire at the end of this school year.
“We interviewed nine excellent candidates and have narrowed our search to the following four finalists,” Daly stated in a memo issued prior to school vacation week.
The candidates are:
• BarriAnn Alonzo, Assistant Principal, North Reading High School;
• Caitlin Brown, Dean of Students, Newton South High School;
• Matthew LeVangie, Assistant Principal, Littleton Middle School; and
• Miriam Meyer, Assistant Principal, Ayer Shirley High School.
MEET & GREET REGISTRATION
“Additional information about each candidate will be shared ahead of the next phase of our search in early January,” Daly stated. “We look forward to the next steps in this process which will include opportunities for students, the leadership team, faculty and staff, and families and community to meet the candidates and ask questions.”
Daly is asking the public to save the dates of Thursday, January 9 and Thursday, January 16 to attend these sessions to meet the four finalists.
Families and community members who are interested in participating in the next phase of the process should complete the form available at tiny.cc/ps82001 no later than Monday, January 6, 2025
“These moderated sessions will be hybrid and pre-approved questions will be asked both in person and virtually of each candidate. Please save the dates and times below,” Daly said. “Participants are strongly encouraged to attend sessions with all four candidates and to provide feedback to the Superintendent in the following days through a format that will be shared at that time.
Faculty and staff who are unable to attend the afternoon sessions are welcome to join the evening sessions, he added.
Tentative schedule for Thursday, Jan. 9 and Thursday, Jan. 16:
Candidate A, Jan. 9 & Candidate C, Jan. 16
• 12 pm- 12:30 pm: Meet with Administrative Council
• 12:36 pm – 1:02 pm: Meet with Students
• 3:15 pm – 3: 45pm: Meet Faculty/Staff
• 6:00 pm – 6:45 pm: Meet Families/ Community
Candidate B, Jan. 9 & Candidate D, Jan. 16
• 1:12pm – 1:38 pm: Meet with Students
• 1:45 pm – 2:15 pm: Meet with Administrative Council
• 4:00 pm – 4:30 pm: Meet Faculty/Staff
• 7:00 pm – 7:45 pm: Meet Families/ Community
Additionally, the Superintendent and other members of the Administrative Council (AC) will visit the candidates’ schools for a site visit in January before the Superintendent selects the finalist.
According to Daly, the Principal Interview Committee formed this past fall represented a cross section of the “various stakeholders in the school community and provided so much of their valuable time, careful consideration, and feedback to guide me in selecting our finalists.”
Daly also expressed his gratitude to the interview committee members: Mark Bisognano, NRHS paraprofessional; Cynthia Conant, Director of Student Services; Elena DeAngelis and Jonathan Wisco, North Reading Public Schools parents; Jeff Friedman, North Reading School Committee; Andrea Gagnon, Ben Owens and Ali Pepe, NRHS educators; Cathy O’Connell, North Reading Middle School principal; Jacqueline Rogers, NRHS adjustment counselor; and Karen Tsang, NRHS administrative assistant.
“I would also like to thank our student greeters, Benjamin Russell, Sofia Saldanha, and Shenaya Verma, and our Administrator of Human Resources, Morgan Soares, for their assistance and input with the interview process,” Daly said.
