Long River principal to retire

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Jayne Lanphear
Jayne Lanphear

PROSPECT — Long River Middle School Principal Jayne Lanphear will retire at the end of the month after nearly four decades as an educator at the school.

“It is a bittersweet moment for me but one that I believe is right for my family at this time,” Lanphear, 61, wrote in a letter to the Region 16 Board of Education.

The board, which oversees schools in Beacon Falls and Prospect, approved Lanphear’s retirement last week. Lanphear will retire as of Dec. 1.

Superintendent of Schools Michael Yamin said Long River Assistant Principal Michelle Meyers will be acting principal. Karen Aliciene, a teacher at Long River who has an administration certificate, will be the interim assistant principal.

Although Lanphear is retiring, she won’t be going far. Lanphear will stay on two days a week through the rest of the school year after she retires to help with the transition.

Yamin said Lanphear will be paid on a per diem basis after she retires. The exact amount wasn’t agreed upon as of this post, but Yamin said it’s likely to be based on her current salary of $132,000.

Yamin said Lanphear will be missed, adding he is grateful she is staying on to help.

“I think Jayne has been a consummate professional,” Yamin said. “She is a true team player.”

Lanphear, a Watertown resident, has spent her entire 37-year career at Long River. She started as a teacher before being hired as assistant principal in 2008 and principal in 2009.

Lanphear said she planned to retire at the end of this school year, but chose to retire early due to family reasons.

“I just felt it was time,” Lanphear said.

Lanphear said the students and staff at Long River have become like family over the past 37 years. She thanked everyone at the school, in the region and the board for supporting her throughout her career.

“I am proud of the work we have done at Long River and hope that the positive climate and commitment to teaching and learning continue after my tenure,” Lanphear wrote in the letter to the board. “I appreciate and hold dear to my heart the relationships I have made over the past 37 years. I will always have wonderful memories and a sense of fulfillment as I move forward in my life.”

5 COMMENTS

  1. I am referring to the average citizen who nether votes or gets involved. Unfortunately they are the majority.

  2. bf while I agree that new blood needs to wake up it is more than that. The people need to start doing THEIR homework and to educate THEMSELVES on what is actually going on. They say we are wrong THEN DO YOUR PART AND PROVE WE ARE WRONG instead of just sitting in your chair going on some Facebook page and say the world is great. There are people on other boards in town trying to address some of the issues but as Yamin states we cant do much legally since they are a total separate entity. There are a few people who will continue to try both citizens and elected officials BUT I will state that many of us are tired of getting ABUSED by those people that ATTACK US. You see I ask questions to get people to think and to learn where their thoughts are. Dont you realize that we are trying to help THEIR CHILDREN FOR THEM?? If you dont want to get involved then LEAVE US ALONE and let us do what is needed.

  3. The people of Beacon Falls have spoken. The elected officials can do or say anything they want. Until new blood comes out of their slumber nothing will change. From the top of the ticket to the bottom.

    Wake up!!

  4. The issue is accountability – they dont answer to a single person. Oh wait yes they do at voting time. Well lets say it differently, they dont feel they ever have to answer or be made accountable till then. I rest on what I said at least months BOE meeting when I included Yamin in the mix that should step down.

  5. So, the Board of Education is going to allow Ms. Lanphear to double dip and yet again the the Board of Education is allowing the taxpayers to be abused. I think maybe we need a recall election for the Board of Education from yesterday’s election and rethink who was reelected to this board.