New Melrose High School Principal Named

Well, Melrose High students, it's official: You have a new principal.

On Monday morning, Melrose Public Schools Superintendent Joe Casey announced that he had chosen Daniel Richards, who is currently the assistant principal at Belmont High School, to replace retiring MHS principal Joseph Dillon.

In a press conference held at the high school, Casey explained the reasons behind his choice.

"It is my opinion that Dan Richards is the best choice to lead Melrose High School," Casey said. "Many people in public education talk about 'going from good to great,' but it is rare to see an individual who has practical experience in accomplishing that goal."

Casey also thanked the search committee that had taken charge of identifying possible candidates for the position and eventually narrowed the pool to a group of three.

"All would agree that the pool of candidates was extraordinary, and the inclusive process of the search committee resulted in three finalists, each with a superb background and each with the qualities needed to lead Melrose High School," Casey said at the press conference.

Varied experience in secondary education

Casey's said that his ultimate decision to name Richards as Dillon's replacement was based on an appreciation of Richards' successes throughout his career in secondary education. Before becoming Assistant Principal of Instruction at Belmont High School--a position he has held for six years--Richards was a classroom teacher and then Business and Technology Department chair and Class Master at Newton South, where he worked for eight years.

"I believe it is critical that an individual who leads a high school have direct knowledge of all facets of high school operations," Casey stated, referring to Richards' well-rounded career in the high-school arena.

While at Belmont High School, Richards collected a number of accolades, including being named Massachusetts Assistant Principal of the Year in 2010 by the Massachusetts Secondary School Administrators Association. Richards was also one of three finalists for the 2011 Assistant Principal of the Year award from the National Association of Secondary School Principals, one of the many organizations in which Richards is an active member.

Successes at Belmont High School

At Belmont High, Richards became known for his work with state testing and related educational proficiency, professional development for faculty, crisis management and BHS's diversity program. In the past, Richards has used a multifaceted approach to keeping in touch with students, teachers and Belmont as a whole, often through public access television, Twitter and other online communications tools.

"As you are aware, Belmont High School is one of the top performing high schools in the commonwealth. Mr Richards was consistently pointed out by teachers, students and parents during our site visit as someone whose leadership, vision and commitment to students were responsible for much of the school's success over the past six years," Casey said.

Richards graduated from Niagara University with a B.A., then went on to receive master's degrees in educational leadership and negotiation and conflict resolution at Salem State University and Cambridge College, respectively.

Casey concluded his introduction of Richards with a short anecdote.

"Nothing sums up Mr. Richards' dedication more than this: When I called him to tell him of my decision, he was in Canada chaperoning the Belmont High School band at an international music festival in Montreal," Casey said.

"This direct involvement with students in and out of school is not unusual for him. He has the ability, the hands-on knowledge and the experience to bring Melrose High School from good to great."