Lynnfield High School has a new principal.
Her name is Patricia Puglisi, who has served as the principal at Manchester Essex Regional High School for the last 10 years. A former history teacher and department head at Masconomet Regional High School, Puglisi also served as assistant principal at Reading Memorial High School. She succeeds current Principal Bob Cleary, a Lynnfield native and LHS graduate, who is retiring in June.
Puglisi said she was not looking to make a change, but when she saw the open-position posting, she was “intrigued.”
“I did some research and learned about the positive reputation, strong school culture, student achievement and inclusive nature at Lynnfield High School,” Puglisi said. “This prompted me to submit my application. I believe in the power of strong relationships and I look forward to meeting the students, the faculty and staff … and to building relationships throughout the community. I’ve known Bob Cleary for a number of years. He’s amazing and I know that I have big shoes to fill.”
One of the things that impressed Puglisi about Lynnfield High was the “tremendous” work done on the Vision of the Graduate program, “which defines the skills and dispositions students will develop over their four years of high school. That work, along with a focus on student centered learning, aligns directly with my philosophy of education. I am looking forward to working collaboratively with all stakeholders to advance that work.”
She was also impressed by the way students talked during the interview process about how strong their school community is.
“They talked about being there and cheering on one another in sports and extracurricular activities,” Puglisi said. “This is what high school is all about.”
School Superintendent Kristen Vogel wrote in a Feb. 1 letter to families that Puglisi “brings extensive high school experience along with many years as a high school administrator to Lynnfield High School … (and) is well aware of Lynnfield High School’s reputation and is eager to go ‘all in’ as our next leader.”
“During her interview, Ms. Puglisi talked about the importance of creating a safe and supportive learning environment that prioritizes student voice and choice along with high expectations for all students, ” Vogel said. “Ms. Puglisi also spoke to the importance of relationships within our school community.”
Puglisi spent four years at Reading High, serving as assistant principal for curriculum and instruction from 2009-2013 when she accepted the principal position at Manchester Essex. Prior to that, she was the social studies department head at Masconment from 2005-2009 and social studies teacher from 2000-2005.
A 1990 graduate of Boston College where she majored in history, Puglisi earned a masters degree in history at Salem State University in 2003 and a certificate in advanced graduate study in Education Leadership in 2009, also at Salem State. In 2013, she completed the National Institute for School Leadership Executive Development Program and received a certificate of advanced education leadership from the Harvard Graduate School of Education in 2017.
After graduating from BC, Puglisi spent one year teaching history at Peabody High, following in the footsteps of her parents. Her father, Richard Dussault was a teacher and later superintendent of the Masconomet Regional school district; her mother, Mary Jo, was a teacher in Beverly.
“I decided that I wasn’t 100 percent sure that teaching was for me, so I decided to try a few other things,” Puglisi said, whose college-age daughter is planning to become a teacher. “Ultimately I figured it out and I love the decision I made to become a teacher. I guess you could say it’s really in my family’s genetic code.”
Vogel said families will be provided the opportunity to meet Puglisi this spring and summer. She thanked the members of the Principal Interview Committee for “their thoughtfulness and commitment to this process.”
