DALTON, Mass. — The principal of Southwick Regional School has been tapped to lead Wahconah Regional High School. 

 

Serena Shorter's appointment was announced on Thursday by the Central Berkshire Regional School District. She starts in the district on Aug. 18. 

 

Shorter has close to 30 years of experience in education, including as a classroom teacher, assistant principal, and principal. 

 

According to a press release from Superintendent Michael Henault, Shorter was the only finalist from two rounds of initial interviews by a search committee composed of 16 members representing teachers, administrators, families, community members, and School Committee.

 

The first round of interviews included four candidates, but did not produce a finalist. After a subsequent posting, three new candidates, including Shorter, were interviewed. 

 

"Shorter impressed the committee with detailed answers that included specific strategies for moving Wahconah forward while also respecting important traditions," wrote Henault. 

 

She will replace Aaron Robb, who was named assistant superintendent in June; Henault was named superintendent April. 

 

Southwick Regional serves Grades 7 through 12 for the towns of Southwick, Tolland and Granville. It has about 600 students compared to Wahconah's 450 in Grades 9 through 12. 

 

Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional School District is facing a lawsuit over incidents of racist bullying of a middle school student at Southwick Regional during the 2023-24 school year. Six other middle school students have also been criminally charged over a SnapChat "mock slave auction." School administrators reportedly contacted police on discovering it and several students were suspended following an investigation.

 

Henault said Shorter "spoke transparently about persevering through the challenges presented when responding to incidents of hate and bias" during her second-round interview. 

 

This interview was led by Cyndi Weekes Bradley, CEO of The Equity Process, a consulting firm that works with the school district through monthly leadership coaching for administrators. The firm also consults on responses to hate-based events, including religious and race-based incidents.

 

The interview focused on Shorter's leadership qualities, her past experiences with confronting hate and bias in schools, and her ability to foster a sense of belonging through an inclusive lens with students, faculty, and the community. Interviewers felt she was a "transformational leader" with a commitment to "building communities of belonging."

 

Two meet-and-greets, one for staff and one for community members, were designed to gather a final round of feedback from the community. A survey was provided to all attendees and respondents overwhelmingly felt that Shorter was a great match for Wahconah, noting her transparency, her experience in regional districts, and her personable nature.

 

"We are excited to welcome Ms. Shorter to the Central Berkshire community," said Henault. "She impressed the search committee with her commitment to high academic standards, student-centered leadership, and building strong relationships. 

 

"She highlighted ways in which she would build connections with the school community and specifically mentioned ways to improve outcomes for career-bound students, while also improving instruction for all students."

 

A community meet and greet will be scheduled for the beginning of the school year and will be communicated in Shorter's first newsletter to families as principal.