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Johnson, new principal of King/Robinson
(Updated with corrections.) The Board of Education approved hiring three new principals at its regular meeting Monday night.
New Haven native Joseph Johnson was appointed principal of King/Robinson Magnet School. He previously worked in the District of Columbia public schools before returning to New Haven and leading Hill Central Music Academy as assistant principal.
“I’m happy to finally be home, where I belong,” Johnson gave a short thank-you speech at the BOE’s Monday meeting at L. W. Beecher School.
Digna Marte, who serves as assistant principal of Luis Muñoz Marin School in Bridgeport, will become assistant principal at Hillhouse High School in late August.
The hiring came on the heels of a plan to unify Hillhouse under one central leadership. The board voted last month to appoint Glen Worthy as the sole principal of the school. In the past, the school had been dividied into four “academies” led by three principals, causing confusion and unhappiness among students and parents.
When asked if further administrative hires are planned for Hillhouse, Superintendent Garth Harries said the system will continue to hire assistant principals for all public schools in the district, including Hillhouse.
Zakiyyah Baker, who resigned from Hillhouse as lead principal earlier this month, will “take up a job in another district,” according to Harries. Harries said he is sad to see Baker’s departure.
Zakia Parrish, new principal of Career High
Hill Regional Career High School also got its new principal: Zakia Parrish will return to Career High — where she started her teaching career — to lead the school. In her brief speech, Parrish said the appointment would not be possible if not for her three-year experience as principal of Hyde School.
The board tabled a proposal to appoint David Diah as Hyde’s new principal. Diah previously worked as assistant principal at Hillhouse in the Law and Public Safety and Health Academy under Baker. The third former principal of Hillhouse, Fallon Daniels, landed a new job as principal of Adult & Continuing Education Center.
The board also passed over a proposal to appoint Donna Aiello as principal of W. Hooker Elementary School, and Kristina DeNegre as principal of Clinton Avenue School. Aiello for now remains as they school system’s director of human resources, and DeNegre remains as the assistant principal of Clinton Avenue.
The principals’ salaries range from about $114,000 to almost $150,000.
An earlier version of this story incorrectly reported that all six principal appointments were approved.