By Sarah Opdahl

In mid-September, Maria Kennedy will be joining New Fairfield Public Schools as its new Pupil Personnel Services Director. An administrative post that oversees all special education in the district, the position was a critical hire for Superintendent Ken Craw following the announcement of Katherine Matz’s departure this summer. Craw said at a recent school board meeting that he was impressed by the level of kindness Kennedy showed in the interview process and looks forward to bringing her into the fold.

Kennedy joins the district from East Hartford Public Schools, where she was serving as a supervisor of special education, formerly a school psychologist. A woman of varied talents, prior to beginning her experience in education, she  worked as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT). “When I finished ea rning my Sixth Year Professional Diploma in School Psychology at Southern Connecticut State University, I was fortunate to land a job as a School Psychologist at Woodland School, a therapeutic day school, within East Hartford Public Schools,” Kennedy shared. She went on to say, “My years at Woodland School were extremely rewarding and the opportunities I was granted helped me come to the realization that I wanted to pursue additional schooling in Educational Leadership.” After earning her administrator certification with Sacred Heart University, Kennedy was granted a promotion to Supervisor of Special Education with East Hartford Public Schools and has worked in the position for four years.

Making a leap from a much larger school system, Kennedy is looking forward to getting to know all stakeholders well in town. “As a new member of New Fairfield Public Schools, I hope to develop and maintain positive relationships with staff, students, families, and the community. I would like to be consid ered as a resource for all,” she said. With several new empl oyees and shifts in the slate of positions, many special education staff members will also be acclimating along with Kennedy. She’s enthused about her colleagues, “From my very first interactions during the interview process to participating in New Teacher Orientation everyone I met within New Fairfield has been so welcoming. I am excited to join this dynamic, caring team of educators and I look forward to getting to know and connecting with students, staff, families, and community resources,” Kennedy said.

Before making any specific changes in special education, Kennedy plans to delve in and gain a clear understanding of the current practices and gather feedback. She has “an extensive background in working with staff, students, and families to ensure educational needs are being met and I am excited to share my expertise.” She’s excited to bring a hybrid of day-to-day work, in addition to an oversight role. She believes a balanced approach is best, in which, “I am active in the buildings and I am there to support however I also have district responsibilities.”

With special education costs on the rise for the district, Kennedy acknowledges that there is a balancing act to maneuver. She sees it as important to take a proactive approach when projecting budgets, “however there will be times when “flexibility and creativity are key” in ensuring we meet student needs while remaining fiscally responsible.”

While communication has been an issue for special education in New Fairfield in the past, Kennedy sees c ommunication and collaboration between schools and families as “extremely important when it comes to student s uccess.” She says, “Throughout my years working in education, I have found that a solid relationship between the school and family can make all the difference in the student’s educational experience. I will work hard to establish and maintain relationships with all stakeholders and do my best to ensure transparency and consistent communication occurs.”

When she is not hard at work for New Fairfield Public Schools, Kennedy loves to travel, cook, and be outdoors with her husband and toddler daughter. She will commute from Middlebury, CT.