New Principals to Meet with Parents

– Allison Goldsberry

New principals for Medford High School and the Columbus Elementary School have planned events to meet with parents and students.

Medford High School Headmaster Dr. John Perella is holding “Meet the Headmaster Night” events on Thursday, August 23 and Thursday, August 30. Both events will take place from 7-8PM in the Medford High School library.

“It is with great honor and sincere pleasure that I assume the position of Headmaster of Medford High School. It is my belief that the best way to continue the success of MHS, and plan for its bright future, is to forge a genuine relationship with all of its stakeholders,” said Dr. Perella in a statement posted to Medford High School’s website. “Over the next few months I hope to accomplish this by speaking with and listening to the students, parents and community members of Medford…At these meetings I will present my beliefs, philosophies, and initial plans, as well as field questions from the audience.”

New Columbus Elementary principal Kathleen Kay has planned an open house event for Tuesday, September 4 from 5:30-7:30PM at the school. Kay will be joined by the Columbus PTO to greet students and parents and to communicate important information about the upcoming school year.

Dr. Perella was an assistant principal at Garfield Middle School in Revere before coming to MHS. Prior to that, Perella was a Vice-Principal at Revere High School for six years. He started his career in education as a Humanities teacher at the high school in 1997. Kay formerly served as principal of the Brookside Elementary School in Milford. Kay has eighteen years of experience in the classroom and taught grades two and four in Massapequa, New York before spending four years teaching second grade in Jakarta, Indonesia at the Jakarta International School.

The Brooks Elementary School will also have a new principal in the fall. Kevin Andrews is replacing Michael Simon. Andrews was a science teacher before becoming an elementary principal in Salem, Massachusetts. He was also an assistant principal at the McCarthy School in Peabody and once worked as an educational specialist at the Harvard University Museum of Natural History.