Schools

Time to Move On

Mabelle B. Avery Middle School Principal Nancy A. Barry is retiring and is ready to take on new challenges and adventures.

After 33 years in education and 13 years at , Principal Nancy A. Barry will be retiring on June 30.

Barry, 57, has decided that it's time to leave and take on new adventures and challenges. Though it's time, she says she still has mixed emotions.

“I certainly have made my decision and it’s something I’ve thought about for a long time,” she said. “I certainly think this is the year. It’s a lot of emotion right now until I do leave. I care deeply about the staff here and about the students and the work that I’ve done here. It’s always mixed emotions but I’m anxious to do something new, something exciting, something different.”

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Barry is not the only one with mixed feelings about the move.

“We certainly wish her well and hope she has a very long and productive and healthy retirement,” Superintendent of Schools Maynard Suffredini said. “On the other hand, we’re going to miss her here in the district. She’s done a wonderful job in the school. She certainly has put her stamp on the building and has established a culture in the school that I think has really been very productive for the students, and the staff, and the parents as well. She’s done a nice job and it’s sort of bittersweet. We’re happy for her but she’s worked out well in the district.”

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Barry said that she had always planned financially and emotionally to leave early.

“I never thought I would work 37, 38, 40 years,” she said. “I never had planned for that. I had actually planned to leave after 30 years. It’s just something I’ve financially planned for and I want to do it while I’m still healthy and young. I want to do it before I feel like I have to. I think that’s everybody’s retirement wish.”

She added that she hasn’t had many summers free and will play some golf and enjoy the time off. She said she also plans to travel and visit family more and take some vacations.

“I’m open to a lot of new activities, whatever comes my way,” she said. “I’ve always volunteered and I’ve always coached and been a playground director and coach at a CYC (Catholic Youth Center). I’ve always worked with kids and I just love it. Now I’m going to do something else.”

Barry began her career in Dalton, Mass. and spent 10 years as a high school physical education teacher and basketball, softball, and tennis coach. In 1988, she moved to Connecticut and worked in the Killingly school system as a curriculum writer. In 1994, she became the assistant principal of a K-4 school in Killingly. Then in 1998, she became the principal at Mabelle B. Avery Middle School.

Not everyone has the chance to work in all different levels of education and Barry is grateful that she did.

“I had the opportunity to move and took advantage of it so I was able to work at all three levels,” she said. “It was great. I was so appreciative that I had this chance to come here in the middle school. I wanted to do 10 in every level and I ended up staying here 13 and a half years. It worked out great for me.”

She said that her favorite time was the time spent in the middle school.

“I definitely think the middle school is the place to be,” Barry said. “It’s the best. The biggest change kids make is during their adolescent life. I’ve enjoyed it. A lot of people think you’re crazy because middle school kids are right in the middle. If I could do it over, I would probably spend my whole career in middle school.”

Barry doesn’t have a say in who her successor is, but she does have some hopes and desires for that person.

“I’m hopeful that they will select someone who will continue to provide for the middle school students,” she said. “Middle school is a special school, middle level are special kids and you really have to have people who like them and understand them and are patient with them and enjoy them. That’s my wish, that they get someone who really, really wants to be here like I have for the last 13 and a half years.”

Suffredini said that the position will be advertised for about three weeks and that a committee will be formed with a good representation from the different subgroups. Then, a top recommendation from Suffredini, or maybe a couple of candidates, will be brought before the board.

“We’ll finalize that once we get to the point where we begin to narrow it down,” he said. “If we have one strong candidate emerge, it will be that candidate, if we have a couple or three, maybe we’ll bring them to the board and let them interview.”


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