Maya McFadden photo
NHPS Supervisor of Literacy Lynn Brantley.
The city school district’s top literacy official plans to retire after 37 years of public education service inside and outside of New Haven classrooms.
Her planned retirement at the end of this school year comes amid the ongoing citywide debate around low reading levels and pandemic-era learning loss, as well as amidst a broader state-mandated shift in how schools teach young students how to read.
That top New Haven Public Schools (NHPS) official is Supervisor of Literacy Lynn Brantley.
During Monday’s latest regular biweekly meeting of the full Board of Education on Zoom, the district announced that Brantley is one of five NHPS administrative team members set to retire effective June 30, 2023.
The other planned administrative retirements announced on Monday include Director of Early Learning Programs Pamela Augustine-Jefferson, who has worked in NHPS for 32 years; Coop Arts & Humanities High School Principal Val-Jean Belton, who has worked for the district for 38 years; Truman School Principal Kathleen Mattern, who has worked for the district for 36 years; and Director of Food Services Gail Cairns-Sharry, who has worked for the district for 10 years.
NHPS Superintendent Tracey — who also plans to retire at the end of the current school year — also singled out during the personnel report of Monday’s meeting the coming departure of special education teacher Jonathan Wilson, who has worked for NHPS for 38 years and whose last day on the job will be Jan. 31.
During Monday’s meeting, Tracey lamented the loss of “a lot of historical knowledge, institutional knowledge in New Haven Public Schools” thanks to these upcoming retirements.
“That’s a great loss to New Haven Public Schools,” she continued. “But I must commend them for giving so much of their time to New Haven Public Schools. That’s what you call real dedication and staying with it.”
Reached for comment on Thursday via email, Brantley told the Independent that “NHPS has been the center of my professional life and honestly my identity. Thirty seven years is a long time to commit to any work, but for me I cannot imagine any other profession as a life’s work.”
She shared that over the past three decades she is most proud of starting her career as a teacher at Lincoln Bassett School, working as coordinator of intervention, and leading NHPS literacy work.
When asked what kept her motivated to continue working in NHPS over the years, she said, “My deep passion for ensuring all students receive the best education possible.” (Click here, here, and here to read more about Brantley’s work.)
The Board does not vote on the district’s retirements. Rather, the names of soon-to-be retirees were listed on the district’s information-only personnel sheet. During Monday’s meeting, Board of Education member Abie Benitez encouraged those retiring to consider finding a way to keep working with the Board of Ed in the future.