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New Canaan Picks Familiar Face As Principal At East

NEW CANAAN, Conn. -- Kristine Reed Woleck, who previously served as assistant principal at East Elementary School in New Canaan, will return to the school as principal, the school district announced Monday, April 28.

Kristine Reed Woleck, will take over as principal at East Elementary School in New Canaan.

Kristine Reed Woleck, will take over as principal at East Elementary School in New Canaan.

Photo Credit: New Canaan Schools
East School Principal Alexandra Potts, left, talks with New Canaan Schools Superintendent Mary Kolek. Potts is set to retire on July 1.

East School Principal Alexandra Potts, left, talks with New Canaan Schools Superintendent Mary Kolek. Potts is set to retire on July 1.

Photo Credit: File

Woleck will assume her new role on June 30. She will replace Alexandra “Bunny” Potts, who in February announced her plans to to retire at the end of the school year. Potts has served as an educator in New Canaan for more than 25 years. (Read about her retirement announcement here on the Daily Voice.)

“I know I speak for many when I say I am very excited to welcome Kris (back) to East and the new opportunities available to her as its principal," said Gary Kass, New Canaan Public Schools' director of human resources. "She has been an exemplary educational leader and has consistently demonstrated her dedication to excellence on so many levels.”

Highly regarded throughout the district, Woleck has served as assistant principal at West Elementary School since October 2013 and as assistant principal at East Elementary School from August 2011 until her move to West.

With an extensive background in mathematics education, she joined New Canaan Public Schools as the mathematics specialist at South School in 2002 and served as New Canaan’s elementary mathematics coordinator from 2004-11. Before joining the New Canaan Public Schools, Woleck was a staff developer in Hudson, Mass., and was a first-grade teacher in Wilton.

In addition to instructional and administrative roles within New Canaan Public Schools, in 2009 Woleck was selected as one of 10 Classroom Teacher Fellows nationally in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Education Teaching Ambassador Fellowship program. She is also a published writer.

Woleck is a graduate of Tufts University, where she holds a summa cum laude bachelor's degree in child studies, a master's in education from Bank Street College and a sixth-year diploma in educational administration from the University of Connecticut.

The appointment of Woleck is the result of a process that included East parent, faculty and staff focus groups and the formation of an elementary principal search committee. Led by Kass, the search committee included the assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, the assistant superintendent for pupil and family services, the K-4 language arts coordinator, two principals, teachers from East School, PTC members from East School and a member of the Board of Education.

New Canaan also hired a new principal for West Elementary School. Read that story here on the Daily Voice.

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