Thomas H. McMorran, Ed.D., speaks at the Joel Barlow High School 2014 Graduation Ceremony at Western Connecticut State University’s O’Neill Center in Danbury, Conn. Wedneday, June 18, 2014. Photo: Tyler Sizemore
The boards of education in Easton, Redding and Region 9 have named a new superintendent for the three districts.
Thomas McMorran, current assistant superintendent and head of school for Joel Barlow High School, will replace Bernard Josefsberg, who is retiring this summer after four years on the job.
The three boards unanimously approved the appointment at a special meeting Monday night, according to a news release.
McMorran, 51, is a Newtown resident and has served as Joel Barlow head of school and Region 9 assistant superintendent since 2007. He previously worked as assistant principal and English Department chairman at Ridgefield High School.
“He brings energy, experience, intelligence and commitment to the many challenges at hand,” Josefsberg said in the news release. “He’s a proven leader who knows the community and its expectations. Not only will he meet those expectations, he will galvanize the collective effort required to exceed them.”
The search for a new superintendent drew 14 applications and included an online survey and group sessions with parents, teachers, students, administrators, and board members from the three districts.
In his letter of application for the superintendent position, McMorran said the districts can “become more personalized and attentive to individuals.”
“With smaller, more agile teams, we can build sequences of learning that more closely track the needs of our students,” he wrote, according to the news release. “We can stop thinking of ourselves as an elementary program that hands off to a middle school program that passes along to a high school program. We can think and act as one program.”
Besides the superintendent, Easton and Redding also share Joel Barlow High School, which is known as Region 9.