REGION 16 — A new school year brings with it plenty of new faces. Among the new faces when Region 16 started class this month was Superintendent of Schools Michael Yamin.
Yamin’s first official day in the region, which oversees schools in Beacon Falls and Prospect, was Sept. 2 — the first day of the school year.
Yamin, 45, said the opening of schools went very smooth with only minor issues in some areas that are expected, like busing. He visited all the schools with Curriculum Director Barbara Peck and Director of Technology Matthew Brennan the first day. Yamin said it was obvious everyone was well prepared and welcoming to the students.
“I was very happy with the opening of school,” Yamin said.
Yamin replaced former Superintendent of Schools Tim James, who resigned due to health issues from an undisclosed medical condition. Leading up to his first official day, Yamin attended meetings in the district and shadowed James.
Yamin described shadowing James as an enormously beneficial experience.
“It’s easy to realize why it’s a huge loss to Region 16 that Tim left,” Yamin said. “But, hopefully I’m going to be able to continue with the stability he put in place and the leadership he put in place.”
Yamin also credited his administrative assistants, Lorrie Moraniec and Christine Sardinskas, with helping to ease the transition.
Although Yamin is now head of Region 16, a career in education wasn’t what he originally envisioned for himself.
Yamin initially went to the University of Connecticut to study to become an attorney, like his father and brother. As he was entering his junior year at UConn, he didn’t feel like law was the career he wanted to pursue and spoke with his mother about it. His mother offered him this piece of advice: “Whatever it is you enjoy doing put your heart into it and be the best at it. That’s going to determine what your career path is.”
For Yamin, who said he volunteered at schools and recreation centers in high school and college, it then became clear a career in education was the path to follow.
“I always had a passion for working with kids,” Yamin said.
Yamin would go to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from UConn and a Master of Science degree in special education from Southern Connecticut State University. He earned his certification as an intermediate administrator through SCSU’s sixth year program.
Yamin has spent the vast majority of his educational career in his hometown school district — the Waterbury public school system. He started off as a teacher at Wilby High School and was director of special services and pupil personnel before coming to Region 16. In between, Yamin held an array of positions, including administrative positions in Waterbury schools and central office.
Yamin said his experience exposed him to many different elements of regular education, special education and central office duties.
“It gave me a well-rounded lens to look at where I wanted to go as an administrator and what I wanted to do,” Yamin said.
What Yamin wanted to do was become a superintendent.
Throughout his career, Yamin continued his own education. He received his superintendent’s certificate in 2009 after graduating from UConn’s educational leadership program.
“I believe in being a lifelong learner,” he said.
Yamin said he pursued his superintendent’s certificate because being a superintendent is where he can have the greatest impact on student learning.
“I always believed when I was a teacher I taught kids, when I was administrator I taught teachers,” Yamin said. “After 17 years [as an administrator] I felt like I wanted to teach administrators on how to perform at a level where teaching and learning were at the center and it was student-centered instruction that would breed the greatest success for our kids.”
Although becoming a superintendent was a goal of his, Yamin didn’t actively seek out a superintendent job at first. He heeded the advice of peers, who told him to find a district that’s a good fit for him.
The Region 16 position was the first superintendent job he applied for since receiving his certificate five years ago. Having grown up in Waterbury and now living in Cheshire, Yamin said he was very familiar with Region 16. After the job opened, he researched the district and liked what he found.
“I said to myself, ‘You know what this is a good fit for me,’ and put my hat in the ring,” Yamin said.
Yamin’s first superintendent job comes at a time when Region 16 is in the midst of a three-part school building project that includes the new Prospect Elementary School, renovations and additions to Laurel Ledge Elementary School in Beacon Falls and a new district office. Voters approved spending up to $46.7 million for the project at a referendum in December 2011.
Yamin brings some experience with building projects to the table. He oversaw a $6 million project at Kennedy High School in Waterbury that included renovations to the media center and a technology expansion. He also got the ball rolling on a $22 million project at Kennedy that began this year.
Yamin said his experience with building projects comes from an educator’s perspective. He’s familiar with the language and discussions of such projects. He said the learning curve will be with budgetary issues and the history of the project.
Yamin added the project also presents a challenge for him in that it takes up much of his day.
“As a new superintendent coming in who wants to really wrap his hands around teaching and learning, student outcomes, a significant part of my time has to be being fiscally responsible to the region and being a part of all aspects of the construction projects,” he said.
With that said, Yamin added, the project is one of the best things to happen to the region.
“I love it because I really think it’s going to make a massive difference in the education of our kids,” Yamin said.
Yamin will also have a learning curve when it comes to working in a regional school district — something he’s never done before. The budget process and understanding the different concerns of both towns will be part of that learning curve.
“My job is to make sure it’s a true partnership between Beacon Falls and Prospect,” Yamin said. “This is a regional school district so there needs to be equity and there needs to be a shared belief. Partnerships are only as effective as the respect that’s given to everybody. So, when we make decisions they need to be collective and collaborative.”
As Yamin begins his tenure in Region 16, he said his first priority is to build relationships with the educational committee. Then he will begin to develop a shared vision that will be comprised of personal and district goals.
“What our ultimate plan is, is that we’re a cohesive district that always puts student achievement at the forefront of our decision making,” Yamin said.
Yamin said he believes in improving literacy and reading to improve student outcomes, integrating technology into schools and assessing students with frequency to make sure teaching and learning are a priority in the district.
“We have to remember that we’re an educational institution first,” Yamin said. “My job is to make sure there’s a safe and secure learning environment for all our kids. But, with that being said, it has to be integrated with student achievement.”
