New Milford Schools Superintendent Alisha DiCorpo resigns

DiCorpo’s last day as superintendent is scheduled to be October 4.

EdAdvance, based in Litchfield, provides educational and related services to school districts.

Board of Education Chair Wendy Faulenbach said DiCorpo tendered her resignation to the board on Wednesday.

Faulenbach expects the board to formally accept DiCorpo’s resignation at its next meeting.

Faulenbauch added that during DiCorpo’s tenure as superintendent and deputy superintendent prior to that, the district faced “unprecedented challenges ranging from the COVID-19 pandemic to a statewide shortage of bus drivers.” The board is grateful to Superintendent DiCorpo for his hard work and dedication on behalf of New Milford Public Schools students in the face of such challenges, and until his departure looks forward to his leadership in response to Wednesday’s fire. at New Milford High School. ”

DiCorpo was appointed Superintendent in February 2021. She began as Acting Superintendent in October 2020 following the departure of Acting Superintendent Paul Smotas.

Previously, she served as the district’s assistant superintendent for four years, arriving in New Milford from Thomaston Public Schools, where she served as director of curriculum, instruction and assessment.

DiCorpo’s performance as superintendent has been in the spotlight since April when New Milford High School principal Raymond Manka announced his resignation, which he later rescinded after a walkout by students who snubbed it. supported. The resignation prompted a petition calling for the superintendent’s ousting, with nearly 2,000 signers blaming her for the departure of 10 staff members since becoming head of schools.

DiCorpo and the school board entered into a three-year employment agreement last July that remains in effect.

The school board will soon begin looking for a new superintendent.

Superintendent turnover

New Milford has seen a high turnover of superintendents since longtime superintendent JeanAnn Paddyfote retired in 2016.

Joshua Smith served as Acting Superintendent, then permanent after her, until leaving for Region 15 in 2018. Stephen Tracy held the acting position from August 2018 until Kerry Parker became permanent superintendent in June 2019 .

Parker quit after a year to work for a district in Colorado, with Paul Smotas becoming acting school principal for a few months.

However, New Milford is not the only district with a superintendent turnover.

Last month, Kenneth Craw – former assistant superintendent of Weston Public Schools – was named by the New Fairfield Board of Education as the district’s next superintendent. He started on July 1, succeeding Pat Cosentino, who retired in June from the position she had held since 2018. Cosentino will serve as the part-time acting superintendent in nearby Sherman.

In May, the Newtown School Board selected Christopher Melillo of Hamden to replace outgoing superintendent Lorrie Rodrigue.

Melillo was initially in contention for the top job at Hamden, who is looking to replace Jody Goeler, who announced his retirement in January.

Danbury’s superintendent retired at the end of last June and the school’s finance staff left, impacting the town and school audit this year. Superintendent Kevin Walston was appointed at the start of last school year.

Easton, Redding and Region 9 School Districts had to fill 24 vacancies last summer, including its superintendent, four principals and director of finance and operations. Jason McKinnon became superintendent of these districts at the start of last school year.

Prior to the arrival of Ridgefield Superintendent Susie Da Silva in January 2020, Ridgefield underwent seven leadership changes in four years.