Finalists for Blackstone-Millville high school principal emphasize community ties, career pathways and athletics

The Blackstone-Millville Regional Schools hosted a virtual forum on May 15 to introduce three finalists for the high school principalship. Assistant Superintendent Matt Aaronworth opened the event and framed the district—s search for a leader to bolster student opportunities and community connections.

All three candidates highlighted long records in K-12 leadership and presented distinct strategies for retaining students, strengthening athletics and expanding career-focused programs. Adolfo Costa, the current principal at Cumberland High School, said he prioritizes shared leadership and relationship-building, and credited career pathways for reversing enrollment losses at his school. "Our enrollment's grown because we built pathways that reflect community needs," Costa said, noting a rise in out-of-district participation after implementing career-focused programs.

Gina Flanagan emphasized instructional leadership and measurable gains, citing past adoption of one-to-one technology and substantial improvements on state assessments under her watch. Flanagan said she would pursue community partnerships and regional athletics committees to support both academic and extracurricular growth. "I—m an advocate for creating safe, supportive learning environments and for visible, collaborative leadership," she said.

Donna Nelly stressed local ties and hands-on community engagement, describing allied-health pathways already tied to college credit and certifications, and frequent outreach to families and alumni. Nelly said she would prioritize visible leadership at events and seek grants or community donors to fund athletics and extracurriculars. "I believe every child can learn to high levels if you give them the supports they need," she said.

Across the forum, candidates proposed similar tools—career pathways, stronger promotion of athletics and early outreach to younger students—to counter student departures to vocational and charter programs. Each candidate discussed tracking alumni outcomes, cultivating school spirit through open houses and social-media promotion, and involving staff and community stakeholders in budgeting and course development.

The forum was conducted as a presentation followed by a moderated question-and-answer segment; viewers were invited to complete a feedback survey linked in the livestream comments. The district will use the forum and other parts of the hiring process to inform its selection; no final decision was announced at the event.