Published: 7/17/2017 6:20:44 PM
GRANBY — Holyoke High School’s principal is taking his talents east to Granby.
Stephen Sullivan, Holyoke High’s principal since 2014, has been named the new principal at Granby Junior/Senior High School.
Sullivan previously served as assistant principal at Holyoke High for four years, and was an English teacher at Holyoke’s William J. Dean Technical High School from 2003 to 2010.
Sullivan has an associate degree in liberal arts from Holyoke Community College, a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth and a master’s in teaching from Fitchburg State University.
“I’m really excited,” Sullivan said about joining the Granby school district. “My whole career has been in Holyoke.”
Sullivan said that experience in Holyoke — a school system currently under state receivership — has given him a unique experience that he’s excited to bring to Granby. Before anything, however, he said he’s listening and learning about his new school and community.
There are challenges for Sullivan to face in Granby. The town’s public schools have seen dwindling enrollment in recent years, and the resulting decline in state aid has created financial uncertainty. With an increasing number of families using school choice to leave the district, or deciding to attend the Granby-based campus of the private MacDuffie School, Sullivan said he hopes to show people the high quality of Granby’s public schools.
That means lots of conversations with those who have used school choice to leave the district, those who have used school choice to join the district and those Granby residents currently attending private schools.
“The more we can realize where are strengths are and build on those, our strengths will outweigh our weaknesses in the long run,” Sullivan said. “I want to talk to parents about our strengths.”
As part of his effort to learn more about Granby and to engage the community, Sullivan said he hopes to meet with parents, students, community organizations and anybody else that wants to talk over the summer. He said anyone who wants to set up a meeting with him should contact him via email at ssullivan@granbyschoolsma.net.
Dusty Christensen can be reached at dchristensen@gazettenet.com.