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School Board Appoints New

Principal At Sandy Hook

B Y S TEVE B IGHAM

Sandy Hook Elementary School has a new principal in Donna Page (Paj-aay ).

The Board of Education appointed the school system's newest principal at a

special meeting Wednesday.

She'll replace the outgoing principal, Ron Vitarelli, who will step down from

his post this summer.

Mrs Page, 46, is currently the principal at D.C. Moore Elementary School in

East Haven. She was hired by the school board after a series of interviews

with the principal search committee and Superintendent of Schools John R.

Reed. She starts work in Newtown August 15.

Dr Reed said Mrs Page, who is currently a doctoral student at the University

of Connecticut, brings with her qualities needed to continue Sandy Hook

School's outstanding reputation.

"There were three finalists that we really focused on and Donna emerged as the

strongest candidate after we visited her school last Friday and found she has

a thorough understanding of educational learning," Dr Reed explained. "She is

really a teacher of teachers."

The superintendent said those who met her found her to have sincere human

relations skills, as well.

Mrs Page, an Orange resident, said she was looking for a community where

education was priority number one. She found that in Newtown and at Sandy Hook

School.

"I was very impressed with what I heard and saw during my visit to Sandy Hook

School," she said Thursday. "There are mixed emotions, but I'm looking forward

to coming to Sandy Hook, and I'm hoping to become a member of their family."

Because of all the snow, the D.C. Moore School was still in session this week

and Mrs Page has begun the process of saying goodbye to her teachers and

students.

Board of Education member Susan Hills said she was impressed with Mrs Page's

qualifications.

"I think she'll do a good job at Sandy Hook School," she noted. "Ron's shoes

will be hard to fill, but I think Donna is very capable of carrying on and

doing a fine job."

During the early 1970s, Mrs Page served as a classroom teacher in San Antonio,

Texas, and Westport. From 1977 to 1987, she was an elementary school reading

consultant in the Westport school system. Prior to becoming the D.C. Moore

principal in 1991, she worked in Westport as a consultant for professional

development and teacher appraisal.

She received her bachelor's in elementary education from the University of

Connecticut and a master's in reading from Southern Connecticut State

University in 1978.