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Board approves principal appointment, teacher retirements, textbook adoption and capital requests
Summary
At its Oct. 15 meeting the Berlin Board of Education unanimously appointed Christopher Sullivan as principal of Catherine McGee, accepted three retirements, adopted Jason Reynolds’s Long Way Down for 9th-grade English and approved FY26 capital funding priorities for Town Council referral.
The Berlin Board of Education on Oct. 15 unanimously approved a set of personnel and program motions, including the appointment of Christopher Sullivan as principal of Catherine McGee, acceptance of three long‑time teacher retirements, adoption of the novel Long Way Down for 9th‑grade English and submission of FY26 capital funding priorities to the Town Council.
The board approved the appointment of Christopher Sullivan to the position of principal of Catherine McGee; the motion, made by Tracy and seconded by Gina, passed unanimously. After the vote, Sullivan introduced family members in the audience and said he looked forward to “partnering with the community [and] staff and students” as he begins the role.
Members also accepted retirements effective June 30, 2025 for Jennifer Boso (mathematics, Berlin High School), David Boso (social studies, Berlin High School) and James Lugo (“Mr. D,” kindergarten teacher at Mary E. Griswald School). Each motion passed by unanimous vote; board members praised the retirees’ decades of service and impact on students.
On curriculum, co‑directors Lori Jeran and Cara Watson presented Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds for adoption in 9th‑grade English. Committee members said the novel’s compact, verse‑like format and its thematic parallels to Romeo and Juliet make it suitable as a preparatory text. Board discussion noted the book contains violence but committee members reported it is not graphic; the motion to adopt passed unanimously.
Finally, the board approved a package of capital funding requests for fiscal year 2026 to submit to the Town Council, prioritizing the McGee science lab, elementary lavatory upgrades and the McGee auditorium. Facilities staff noted the district must consider contractor availability and a state grant that currently expires Dec. 31, 2025. The board voted to forward the prioritized requests for Town Council consideration.
Following these actions the board moved into an executive session to discuss negotiations with the Association of Berlin Administrators.
