On Thursday, October 30th, the Connecticut Association of Schools celebrated Connecticut's Distinguished Administrators at Saint Clements Castle in Portland, CT. Mrs. Norma Fisher-Doiron was among the honorees as Connecticut's 2008 national Distinguished Principal. Mrs. Fisher-Doiron is shown here with Mr. Fred Baruzzi, Mansfield's Superintendent and Dr. Jim Palmer, principal of Annie E. Vinton School in Mansfield. Also recognized were: Amy Clarke, the Elementary Assistant Principal of the Year; Andre Hauser, the High School Assistant Principal of the Year; Sheryl Kempian, the Middle School Principal of the Year; and Donald Macrino, the High School Principal of the Year.
Over 70 people came to cheer on Mrs. Fisher-Doiron as she received her award, including several family members, Mansfield administrators, Board of Education members, parents, community members and most of the Southeast School staff. Guests arriving to the celebration enjoyed music from the Glastonbury High School Resident String Quartet and the beautiful grounds of Saint Clements Castle with views of the Connecticut River. After remarks by CAS Secretary/Treasurer, Janet Garagliano, Scott Gray from WTIC AM 1080, and Barbara Westwater from the CT state Department of Education, guest enjoyed a wonderful dinner. The evening ended with presentation of the awards. Each honoree was introduced with heartfelt quotes from colleagues, staff, parents and students, along with photos of them in their school community. The administrators each thanked those who supported them and ended with some inspiring words for the audience. In the program for the celebration, Mrs. Fisher-Doiron spoke about constructive change in her message:

Constructive change within a school should be initiated only when it ultimately serves to benefit the students. There are many new and creative ideas in education; however these innovations should never be taken on if they are not a good match to the needs of the students within the school. "If it is best for our students then we should do it" are the words I instill in my staff. With this motto it always seems easier to make a hard decision when it is based on what is best for children. Change is more readily embraced by staff as a result of this internalized belief.

About the National Distinguished Principal Program

The National Distinguished Principal Program is sponsored by the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Education and a corporate partner, AIG Retirement. According to NAESP, the "NDP program was established in 1984 to recognize elementary and middle school principals who set high standards for instruction, student achievement, and character of the students, families, and staff in their learning communities."
The 62 honorees for 2008 include a public elementary or middle school principal from each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia, along with four from private pre-K-8 schools, one principal from the U.S. Department of Defense Schools and two from U.S. overseas schools.
The NDP recipients were honored in October in Washington, D.C. at a black-tie awards banquet.
For more information on the National Distinguished Principals Program, visit http://www.naesp.org/National_Distinguished_Principals_Program.aspx.

Welcome

The Southeast Elementary School community in Mansfield Center, Connecticut would like to welcome you to Mrs. Fisher-Doiron's blog. We are pleased to announce that Mrs. Fisher-Doiron has been named Connecticut's 2008 National Distinguished Principal. We hope you will check our blog often to follow Southeast School's year-long celebration of Mrs. Fisher-Doiron's leadership. We invite members of the current and former Southeast School community to post congratulatory notes as well as favorite Southeast memories and stories.