Lawrence Schools: New MS Assistant Principal, Facilities Director Resigns

Lisa DePaola, who has served as Lawrence High School’s math chairperson, has been named assistant principal of Lawrence Middle School.

DePaola will be replacing Rina Beach, who has assumed principalship of Number Five School, and serve under Willis Perry, who will soon begin his first full school year after assuming the principal role in the beginning of this year.

“She won the hearts and minds of the committee,” Superintendent Gary Schall said about DePaola. “She demonstrated extraordinary leadership after Sandy. She brought 300 students into summer school with smiles on their faces. She has a good track record here in Lawrence.”

Test score reaction

Dr. Ann Pedersen, assistant superintendent of academic affairs, said that there were bright spots in Lawrence’s state test results. Students’ results were down across the board, as predicted by the state education department..

More students in grades 5 through 7 received level 4, or meeting standards with distinction, on the tests, according to Pedersen. She also added that overall results had the second lowest decline in the county.

“We’re still where we were, but we held our own,” Schall said. “It’s a signal we aligned ourselves with Common Core.”

Facilities head resigns

Lawrence’s director of facilities, Christopher Milano, has resigned from his position for personal reasons. He is often credited with leading the district’s efforts to get its buildings up and running after Superstorm Sandy touched down.

Schall said the district is in the process of seeking a replacement.

“Chris was head of facilities, but he did so much more,” said Jesse Lunin-Pack, a former candidate for school board. “He did a tremendous service to this entire community.”

Safe transport

The board of education approved the hiring of an armored truck company to pickup and deliver lunch fund money. The move was the result of a teacher who had taken the funds to bank being mugged.