MHS Headmaster to Retire at End of Year

Medford High School Headmaster Paul Krueger announced Monday his intention to retire at the end of the school year. Dr. Krueger, school headmaster for the past fourteen years, is the third Medford Public Schools principal retiring this year. Columbus Elementary School principal Joan Yaeger and Brooks Elementary School principal Michael Simon are also retiring, meaning the Medford school administration and School Committee have a busy spring of public interviews ahead of them.

Below is Dr. Krueger’s letter to School Superintendent Roy Belson:

Dear Roy:

I am writing to inform you that I plan to retire from my position as headmaster of Medford High School at the end of my contract year – on or about July 31, 2012.

Last spring I stated at a faculty meeting and at two public events that I intended to remain in my position for at least another five years. At that time I meant that statement literally. In my email to you on that topic last April, I wrote: “I am in excellent health and believe that I am at the top of my game. In my thirty-eight years as an educator, I believe that I have never been more effective, felt more fulfilled, had more fun, been more active in afternoon and evening events, had more energy, and felt a deeper responsibility to serve the young people of Medford than I have this year. I believe that I have the best job in the world, as well as a boss for whom I have enormous respect and genuine fondness.” However, while those sentiments remain not only true but heartfelt, upon further reflection I have decided to leave this summer. While my contract calls for three months notice, I am providing four and a half months notice.

Being headmaster of Medford High School has been the greatest honor of my career, and I continue to be grateful to you for giving me this honor. I will miss working with an exceptional faculty, administration and staff, I will always be appreciative of the support of parents who have entrusted me with the care of their children, and I will long cherish so many fond memories of my association with the 5,000 students to whom I have been not only a demanding headmaster but also a counselor and friend.

While all transitions pose their challenges, the next headmaster will have the cooperation of a dedicated cadre of administrators. While the NEASC visitation in the fall of 2013 will remain of great interest to all in the school community, I have complete confidence in the chairs and members of the steering committee and in the chairs of the standard committees. They will make the self-study and the visitation a well-organized experience from which the school will benefit greatly – from the numerous commendations that the faculty and students deserve and from the relatively few significant recommendations that need to be addressed. Of all of the challenges awaiting the new headmaster, the re-accreditation of Medford High School will be among the simplest.

I am committed to exhibiting the same work ethic in the next several months as I demonstrated during the last fourteen years. I look forward to assisting with the smoothest possible transition of leadership.

Sincerely,

Paul H. Krueger, Ed. D.
Headmaster

– InsideMedford.com