Less than two months after designating itself as a search committee to find a successor to New Canaan Public Schools’ retiring superintendent, the Board of Education on Tuesday said high school Principal Dr. Bryan Luizzi has been appointed to the position on an interim basis.
The Brookfield resident has worked at New Canaan High School principal since 2011.
In a press release, school board Chairman Hazel Hobbs said Luizzi will build on what current Superintendent Dr. Mary Kolek and the school district have created.
“We are excited to have an interim superintendent who can lead our high-performing school district in the continuous pursuit of excellence,” Hobbs said. “Dr. Luizzi is an experienced leader with the skills and passion required to lead the district.”
Dr. Bryan Luizzi was named interim superintendent of New Canaan Public Schools on April 29. Contributed photo
Luizzi said in the release that he was “honored” to be given the opportunity and said he would collaborate with the “school board, community, administrators, and staff to ensure a productive and successful school year.”
“I am very grateful for this opportunity, and I look forward to the great work that the New Canaan Public Schools will continue to accomplish going forward,” Luizzi said.
The announcement comes one day after the district named new principals at East and West Schools.
Here’s some background on Luizzi, directly from the Board of Ed press release:
“He began his teaching career at Newtown High School as an English teacher. He then served as the Manager of Technology Operations for the Newtown school district. In this role, he used a systems-thinking approach to successfully design and implement technology initiatives to enhance student learning district-wide. He then progressed through a number of administrative positions in the Brookfield school system, culminating in his appointment as the principal of Brookfield High School, a position he held for 5 years.
“Throughout his professional career, Dr. Luizzi has been engaged in higher education. In 2006, he completed his Doctor of Education degree at Teachers College, Columbia University. Soon thereafter, he began teaching as an adjunct professor at Central Connecticut State University and at the University of Connecticut. In this role, he taught classes in School and District Leadership, Curriculum Development and Design, School Climate and Culture, and Educational Policy, among others.”