South Principal Joel Stembridge leaving Newton

by | May 5, 2020 | Newton South, Schools | 5 comments

Newton South Principal Joel Stembridge announced to the South community that he’s leaving to become principal of Charlestown High School next school year. Stembridge has been at Newton South since 2009.

Here’s his message:

Dear NSHS,
This afternoon I let the wonderful NSHS faculty and staff know that I have accepted the Boston Public School’s offer to be the principal of Charlestown High School next year. 
It has been an honor to serve the families and students in Newton. I will take with me many fond memories of the NSHS community, both as an educator and a parent, and will greatly miss the creativity, energy, and passion that the NSHS students, faculty, and community shared with me over the past eleven years. I will forever cherish memories of classroom visits, performances, athletic competitions, and conversations. It has especially been a privilege to champion and celebrate so many NSHS students from entering ninth graders through graduation and beyond.
It is a strange time to leave, without having the opportunity to say good-bye, in-person, to students and to their families, so many of whom I had the good fortune to get to know over the past eleven years. I expect we will connect virtually over the course of the next few weeks as there is much work to be done, including celebrating and honoring our senior class. I remain fully dedicated to leading South, albeit virtually, and supporting our students, faculty, and families for the remainder of the school year.  
Best regards,
 
Joel Stembridge
Principal, Newton South High School

5 Comments

  1. Mary Presumptuous
    Mary Presumptuous on May 5, 2020 at 2:26 pm

    I would hope that Mayor Fuller would do a private exit interview over dinner and not leave that task exclusively to either the superintendent or the head of the School Committee.

  2. Jeffrey Pontiff
    Jeffrey Pontiff on May 5, 2020 at 2:41 pm

    Some in the administration claim that grades in honors classes and AP classes should not be assigned a premium in calculating GPAs and that AP classes should be eliminated for diversity reasons. I hope the new principal does not agree with this line of thinking.

  3. Fred Z Knowles
    Fred Z Knowles on May 5, 2020 at 9:12 pm

    In the last couple years I have called NS multiple timeS to speak w/ Joel about a project we started a while back. He must work 1 out of 5 days bc he was never available. When I spoke with asst they said he was unavailable. Hmm.. makes sense now he is leaving

  4. Bugek
    Bugek on May 5, 2020 at 9:19 pm

    Jeffrey,

    … careful now.. that line of think might label you “far right wing”

    Its sad to think that Newton highschool was once the best in the country… compared to its current ranking. What happened?

  5. Newton Upper Falls Resident
    Newton Upper Falls Resident on May 6, 2020 at 3:57 pm

    Joel Stembridge is one of the best people in Newton Public Schools. He has done amazing things and all, as far as I can tell, with little support from the central administration–which makes his accomplishments that much more impressive. I am so sorry to see him leave Newton South; he will be sorely missed.

    I wish him the best and I know that he will do wonderful things in Charlestown.