by Maya McFadden The New Haven independent
The Board of Education voted Monday night to hire former Bridgeport Public Schools Interim Superintendent Alyshia Perrin to serve as New Haven’s new assistant superintendent for instructional leadership and school improvement.
The school board took that unanimous vote during its latest regular meeting at King/Robinson School.
Perrin’s appointment officially begins on Tuesday. Her starting salary is $165,000.
Monday’s vote comes roughly a month after the previous occupant of this same assistant superintendent role, Paul Whyte, was transferred into a new position called chief of school operations.
At past school board meetings, some community members — including the city’s teachers union president — urged the district to get rid of this assistant superintendent role once it became empty, given the district’s budget struggles. District leaders defended the position as necessary for helping oversee schools, evaluate principals, advise in the implementation of policy, and advocate with central office for the needs of schools, among other responsibilities.
Perrin is now one of New Haven Public Schools’ (NHPS) four assistant superintendents. The district’s other three assistant superintendents are Keisha Redd-Hannans, Viviana Camacho, and Kristina DeNegre.
NHPS Supt. Madeline Negrón recommended the cabinet appointment Monday by stating that Perrin began her education career in 2002 as a language arts and special education resource teacher in Bridgeport. Over the years, Perrin served as an assistant principal and then principal at Bridgeport’s Paul Laurence Dunbar School. In November 2022, she was appointed as Bridgeport Public Schools’ interim superintendent.
Negrón said Perrin’s approach to public education is encapsulated by the motto: “Every child, every chance, every day.”
Perrin thanked the board and public Monday for entrusting her with the role. When asked about her goals for the position, Perrin told the Independent that she looks forward to supporting NHPS’ work to be aligned with its strategic plan and to “excel and move students forward.”
New Haven “reminds me so much of everything I’ve done as an educator in urban districts,” Perrin said.
She said her work will aim to support administrators in better connecting with educators. She said that NHPS has a similar demographic to Bridgeport and she is passionate about supporting New Haven’s students in underserved communities. She plans to do so by “building with resources we have” and by tapping into any and all resources that will help her to accomplish her goals.
School board member Edward Joyner commended Negrón for Perrin’s appointment. He said that NHPS “hit the lottery” with this hire.