On Thursday, March 12, the Worcester Education Collaborative (WEC) and the Worcester Public Schools (WPS) held the annual “Principal for a Day” event, in which civic, political, and business leaders shadowed WPS school principals to better understand and build relationships with the leaders of the city’s public schools.
A luncheon was held at Worcester Technical High School following the school tours, which was catered by culinary arts and hospitality students.
The emcee was WEC Executive Director Jennifer Etesse Herring, PhD; and remarks were delivered by Mayor Joseph M. Petty, WPS Superintendent Brian E. Allen, and Kayanna James, District Director for State Senator Robyn Kennedy.
The participating schools and civic leaders are listed below:
Ché Anderson, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Governmental Affairs at UMass Chan Medical School, shadowed Lucas Donahue, Principal of Elm Park Community School
Dan Donahue, State Representative (16th, Worcester), shadowed Lauren Racca, Principal of Quinsigamond Elementary School
Gail Randall, Vice Chair of George Alden Trust, shadowed Karen Allen, Principal of Lincoln Street School
Kathleen Roy, Worcester School Committee Member (District E), shadowed Fjodor Dukaj, Principal of Rice Square School
Sharon MacDonald, President and CEO of the Guild of St. Agnes, shadowed Maureen Power, Principal of Roosevelt School
Kim Davenport, Chief Executive Officer of Edward Street, shadowed Mary Ellen Scanlon, Principal of Worcester Arts Magnet School
Darlene Belliveau, Director of Children’s Services for YWCA of Central Massachusetts, shadowed Suzanna Resendes, Principal of Worcester Dual Language Magnet School
Richard Hayward Jr., CPA and Chief Financial Officer of Bay State Bank, shadowed Margaret Murphy, Principal of Chandler Elementary School
Melanie Bonsu, Community Relations Manager for Saint-Gobain Abrasives, Inc., shadowed Karrie Allen, Principal of Goddard School of Science and Technology
Paul Matthews, Executive Director and CEO of the Worcester Regional Research Bureau, and John Mahoney, State Representative (13th, Worcester) shadowed John Staley, Principal of Doherty Memorial High School
Kayanna James, District Director for the Office of Senator Robyn Kennedy, shadowed Emily Plante, Principal of Burncoat Street Preparatory School
Sue Mailman, Worcester School Committee Member (At Large), shadowed Elizabeth Merchant, Principal of Canterbury Street School
Theresa Lynn, Chief Executive Officer of the Girls Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts, shadowed Amanda Martinez, Principal of Jacob Hiatt Magnet School
Maureen Binienda, Worcester School Committee Member (At Large), shadowed Olga Papadopoulos, Principal of South High Community School
Courtney Nuara, Chief Risk Officer for Bay State Bank, shadowed Tammy Boyle, Principal of Vernon Hill School
Anthony Pasquale, Chief Commercial Banking Officer for Bay State Bank, shadowed Greg Tremba, Principal of Forest Grove Middle School
Mary Keefe, State Representative (15th, Worcester), shadowed Sarah Hebert, Principal of Grafton Street School
Cynthia Landry, Director of School Age Programs for YWCA Central Massachusetts, shadowed Kendra Cox, Principal of Sullivan Middle School
Shane Sampson, Senior Estimator for Fontaine Bros. Construction, shadowed Erin McMahon, Principal of Norrback Avenue School
Sean Harris, Director of Community Engagement for Quinsigamond Community College, shadowed Emily Kokansky, Acting Principal of McGrath Elementary School
Jennifer Guzman-Gayflor of Quinsigamond Community College shadowed Noeliz Irizary, Principal of Burncoat Middle School
Anianjolice Oquendo, Assistant to the Vice President of Quinsigamond Community College, shadowed Joseph Ewick, Principal of Burncoat High School
Kellie Thibordeau, Vice President of Reinsurance for The Hanover Insurance Company, shadowed Lisa Carignan, Principal of Columbus Park School
Bruce Mendelsohn, Resource and Development and Communications Coordinator for the MassHire Central Region Workforce Board, shadowed Carenza Jackson, Principal of Worcester East Middle School
Nicole Gaylord, Community Relations Manager of Cornerstone Bank, shadowed Patti Genese, Principal of Flagg Street School
Michelle Tufau, Vice President of Strategic Enrollment and Student Engagement, shadowed Luke Robert, Principal of May Street School
Jessica Favreau, Vice President of Commercial Lending for Workers Credit Union, shadowed Angie LaRose, Acting Principal of Lake View School
Tina Minor, Assistant Vice President of All One Credit Union, shadowed Sue Donohue, Principal of Thorndyke Road School