VERNON — Superintendent Joseph Macary has been named Connecticut's superintendent of the year on the heels of the school district seeing two of its schools nationally recognized in the last four years and leading in statewide test results among comparable districts.
Macary's recognition comes after Skinner Road School was named a Blue Ribbon school by the U.S. Department of Education in September, one of only four schools in the state to receive the distinction this year.
Northeast School was among the Blue Ribbon honorees in 2020, and Vernon schools throughout the district exceeded the statewide average in English, math, and science on the Smarter Balanced Assessment test last month.
Northeast and Maple Street schools were named "schools of distinction" last week as the district overall was the best-performing Alliance District in the state and in its district reference group for the Next Generation Accountability results.
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Those successes helped propel Macary to be named the state's superintendent of the year on Friday by the Connecticut Association of Public Schools Superintendents.
When announcing the award, the association cited Macary's "remarkable achievements, dedication, and exemplary service to the field of education."
"There's no greater honor than to be recognized by your peers," Macary said. "It's very humbling. ... I think it's a great award for Vernon. It's a great award for our teachers, administrators, board, students, staff. It's not just me, it's a joint effort."
Aside from the academic achievements, Macary said that Vernon also places an emphasis on social and emotional advancement for its students.
He noted that importance of also building trust within the community to gain its support, which he called "essential."
"Vernon is a microcosm of the state of Connecticut. If we can do it here, anybody can do it," Macary said. "We are proud of what we have achieved, but we will never stop trying to do better."
"The state now knows what we in Vernon have known for several years," Mayor Daniel Champagne said. "Dr. Macary is committed to creating an environment where Vernon children excel in school so that they are prepared to lead rewarding and successful lives. He works hard. He sets high standards. He solves problems. And, like a true leader, he does not ask anyone to work harder than he does to help our children succeed."
Board of Education Chairman Paul Grabowski said that Macary being honored in such a way "reinforces how fortunate Vernon is to have him," and that it reflects the high standards he holds others to in the district, as well as his dedication to providing students with a high-quality education.
Connecticut Association of Public Schools Superintendents Executive Director Fran Rabbinowitz said the organization is "incredibly proud" to honor Macary, calling him a "tireless advocate for students and staff in Alliance Districts," and is "instrumental" to preparing new educators.
Town Administrator Michael Purcaro, who previously worked under Macary's leadership when Purcaro was the director of business and finance for Vernon Public Schools, praised Macary for his relentless devotion to improving the community's schools.
"At the heart of every community is a well-managed and effective school system, where students are prepared academically and socially to analyze problems, engineer solutions, build practical skills, and to approach life's challenges with confidence," Purcaro said. "Strong public schools are the foundation upon which strong communities are built. I am proud of Joe's accomplishments, and grateful for his leadership and commitment to the Vernon community."
Macary has been a superintendent for 15 years, perviously serving in the position in Wolcott before moving to Vernon, where he has been superintendent since 2015.
He credits, in part, his longevity in the district with the success Vernon is now seeing, noting that superintendents in Connecticut serve for an average of only four years.
"You really need time to cultivate things," Macary said. "You need time to build relationships. You need time to have a direction."
He also credits his Board of Education for its members' ability to work collaboratively to find solutions to any problem that arises.
"We have a common vision, and we're always going to do what's best for the kids," Macary said. "It's pretty impressive to be where we are and where we were 10 years ago in Vernon."
Criteria for Macary's recognition includes creativity in meeting students' needs, open communication between the administration and the community, improvement of personal knowledge and skills, providing development opportunities for others, active participation in community activities, and an understanding of regional, national, and international issues.