Norwich An administrative restructuring at Norwich Free Academy forced by budget cuts has brought “the perfect team” to support students and faculty, according to Head of School Brian Kelly.
Kelly announced his plan to restructure the academy’s administration during his budget presentation in January in response to projections of sharp declines in enrollment and the loss of dozens of international students due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kelly eliminated the five house principals and the director of student affairs position, reworking those duties into new positions. The new group, some new and some NFA veterans, has started working on issues ranging from curriculum to family engagement, professional development and potential new programs.
Norwich School Superintendent Kristen Stringfellow’s leadership of the school district through COVID-19 pandemic was not the only thing that earned her a glowing evaluation from the Board of Education.
School board Chairwoman Heather Romanski stressed that Stringfellow also spent part of that time doubling as the district’s finance director and without an assistant superintendent and curriculum director.
Stringfellow also led the effort to write an extensive new equity policy and plan, overhauled the district budget and wrote plans for incorporating millions of federal grant dollars into the district’s COVID-19 recovery plan restoring music and sports to the district for the first time in a decade, being just one example.
The incident occurred prior to the start of the Eastern Connecticut Conference tournament May 25.
NFA officials declined to discuss details, citing the confidentiality of school records and that the students were minors. The Day confirmed the incident through a reliable source. Norwich police were not contacted and did not respond to the incident, police said.
“There was swift and appropriate action taken, when we were made aware of the incident,” NFA spokesman Michael O’Farrell said. “It’s certainly something that’s unacceptable, that’s not tolerated and that’s why we acted as swiftly and justly as we did.”
Norwich Norwich Free Academy will hold its graduation ceremony at 4 p.m. Wednesday, June 9, at the Thomas J. Dodd Memorial Stadium for the second straight year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
But this time, graduates will be on the playing field and family members cheering on in the stands.
NFA Head of School Brian Kelly announced Thursday that pandemic conditions have not eased enough to allow for the traditional on-campus ceremony on the athletic field, with thousands of family and friends crowded in the stands and surrounding the field.
“Therefore, our number one priority has been ensuring we can provide the Class of 2021 with a fitting send off,” Kelly wrote in a letter to staff and parents, “and I am pleased to announce that graduation will take place outside and in-person at Dodd Stadium, a location which allows us to maintain all current safety protocols and provide the same number of attendees as an on-campus graduation.”