Nancy Gagliardi Named 2006 Passios Outstanding Principal and National Distinguished Principal from Massachusetts

Nancy Gagliardi is described by her former Superintendent as the “champion for learning” at the Mildred H. Aitken School in Seekonk. This is exemplified in a variety of ways. Nancy is a frequent visitor in classrooms where her presence is expected and welcomed by both teachers and students. It is not uncommon for Nancy to team with teachers, presenting specific learning activities. “She models effective teaching strategies and goes to the extended effort to keep her staff up to date with learning priorities”. Nancy is responsible for bringing several graduate courses to the district and encourages teachers to enroll WITH her in each of them. She has led the district’s efforts for expanding and enriching the elementary social studies program by securing a facilitator from a local community college.

Nancy began her career in school administration in 1985 as the teaching principal of the Petersham Center School in Petersham, Massachusetts. During her tenure there, she was noted as a school leader who held the respect of the entire school community. Under her leadership, the Petersham Center School gained accreditation with the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, following a lengthy and comprehensive review of their school organization, curriculum, and program offerings.

In 1990, Nancy became an elementary principal in the Bristol Warren Regional School District in Rhode Island. Her then superintendent says, “she not only fully understood the art and science of educational leadership, but also demonstrated excellent command of the content areas of the elementary curriculum”. In 1999 and while in Bristol Warren, Nancy instituted an Arts Magnet Program. This program was modeled on the Connecticut HOT (Higher Order Thinking) philosophy of education. The Arts Magnet Program was grounded in the theory of performance-based learning. In this model the district’s curriculum was unchanged – it was the presentation of the curriculum that was different, as it was taught through the visual and performing arts. The Arts Magnet Program remains an exemplary and unique program in Rhode Island and is the result of the leadership that Nancy demonstrated in her responsiveness to positive change and her ability to serve as a change agent.

Returning to Massachusetts to lead the Aitken School in Seekonk in 2000, Nancy immediately recognized the school’s positive attributes and began identifying areas where she believed staff and students could improve the school’s educational mission of “creating a quality, dynamic learning environment so that each individual learner becomes a respected contributing community member with values, skills and resources that promote the advancement of the quality of life for all Seekonk residents”. Seekonk’s Assistant Superintendent indicates that under Nancy’s leadership, the Aitken School has received recognition on several occasions, placing it “in the upper echelon of all elementary schools in the Commonwealth and beyond”. The Aitken School achieved accreditation by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges in December 2004, after a two-year process to raise both student and staff expectations to a higher level. This accreditation is a testament to the school’s commitment to providing an exemplary education to all students. In 2003 the Aitken School was recognized as a “model environment for students to learn and reach their potential” when it became one of only 22 schools in the United States and Canada to be awarded the International Reading Association Exemplary Reading Program Award.

When recognized by the International Reading Association, the Aitken School was noted as having a culture of excellent teaching of reading. Specifically the school was recognized for promoting a culture where teachers share a commitment to make reading enjoyable and exciting; where the superintendent is an active supporter of the program; the reading specialist is an integral and essential part of the activities that include book discussion groups; strong reading and writing across the curriculum; professional development for classroom teachers and all specialists; strong parent involvement in classrooms and the library as volunteers; and for keeping the school library open throughout the summer months.

In 2004, the Seekonk Mathematics Camp was developed and implemented with a great deal of collaboration and shared leadership among schools. This program is open to all students in grades K –5 with enrichment activities offered at all levels. Recognizing the importance of sharing best practices with others in the field, Nancy and two fellow principals most recently presented at the 2006 Annual Convention of the National Association of Elementary School Principals in San Antonio, Texas on the summer mathematics camp.

Nancy’s leadership extends into the larger educational community. For over 17 years, she has served the New England Association of Schools and Colleges in a variety of capacities. Currently, she is an at-large member of the Board of Trustees, representing elementary and middle schools in New England. From 1999 to 2001 she served as Chairperson of the Commission on Public Elementary and Middle Schools. According to the Executive Director of NEASC, in both capacities, she has been at the forefront of educational change. “She has overseen the reconstruction and redirection of the standards for accreditation and the protocols for self-study espoused by the Association; she has participated in the development of strategic planning to ensure that the Association continues to be current and creditable; she has served as the voice and advocate for children and teachers in elementary and middle schools across New England. She has contributed to the discussion of holistic school evaluation in an era of high stakes testing and accountability.” Nancy has chaired numerous NEASC school accreditation teams in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire, and has served on visits to schools in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Nassau, Bahamas, Rotterdam, Netherlands, and Gaborone, Botswana. Within NEASC, Nancy is viewed as a leader, an educator, a visionary, a realist, an enthusiast, and an activist.

Nancy lives in Seekonk with her husband, Christopher, and their two children, Emily and Joseph.

Past Passios Award Recipients