New Haven Unified introduces new director of educational options and two site leaders

The New Haven Unified School District introduced a set of administrative hires at its May 20 board meeting, including Abigail Coatson as the district's director of educational options and two site leaders selected for Kittyama and Delane Eastston.

Assistant Superintendent McMara described a busy hiring year with strong candidate pools and said many finalists cited an interest in joining New Haven Unified. McMara introduced Abigail Coatson as "the director of ed options for next year," noting Coatson previously worked in pupil services under Marcus Lamb and has participated in close-session discussions.

Coatson told the board she was "really excited for this opportunity" and described the role as her "passion," emphasizing her interest in expanding educational options for students. McMara then introduced Megan Foster for Kittyama and Matt Harris for Delane Eastston, noting panels that included parents, teachers, classified staff and administrators were used in the selection process.

Megan Foster thanked the board and described Kittyama as a "beloved space" where staff and families have been supportive. Matt Harris said he was returning to the district after earlier visits and expressed gratitude for the opportunity to work in the district he described as "remarkable." The board welcomed all the appointees and noted that the remainder of the meeting was routine board business.

These introductions were part of routine administrative staffing reports; the public record does not show formal appointment votes during the meeting.