Stevens takes over at City Hill Middle School in Naugatuck

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Margaret Stevens, a professional learning specialist with Area Cooperative Educational Services speaks at the Board of Education Jan. 13 meeting. Stevens is set to be the new assistant principal for City Hill Middle School. Andreas Yilma Citizen’s News

By Andreas Yilma Citizen’s News

NAUGATUCK — A professional learning specialist with Area Cooperative Educational Services will step into an administrative role in the borough to help lead City Hill Middle School.

The Board of Education at its Jan. 13 meeting unanimously appointed Margaret Stevens as an assistant principal for the middle school. Stevens is taking the place of Deanna Chuka, who left the assistant principal position in September to become the principal of Park City Magnet School in Bridgeport.

“I chose to come to Naugatuck out of every school district that I work with because it’s a community I believe in and I’ve been so welcomed and honored to work with your children, work with the staff. I’m really looking forward to learning from you all and growing. I really feel honored to have this position and to work with Eileen and the board,” Stevens at the school board meeting.

Stevens, a 39-year old New Haven resident who has two sons, said she is scheduled to start her new position on Feb. 14.

The salary for an assistant principal at City Hill is $119,470 at the lowest step this fiscal year, according to the contract for school administrators.

As a professional learning specialist at ACES for the last eight years, Stevens worked with 26 school districts across the state. Her curriculums focused on multilingual learners. She developed curriculum on coaching teachers and providing professional workshops for teachers.

Stevens earned a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree, both in secondary education, ELA 7 -12 from University of Connecticut, according to her resume. She earned another master’s degree in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, Multicultural, Bilingual Education and a certificate in educational leadership, both from Southern Connecticut State University.

Board of Education Chairman Jeffrey Litke said he had an opportunity to interview her and thought she stood out of the 112 initial candidates for the position.

She’s excited,” Litke said. “She’s eager.”

Assistant Superintendent Melissa Cooney formally welcomed Stevens at the school board meeting.

“She (Stevens) is an expert in working with districts to inform instruction for multilingual learners, before that she was middle school teacher in New Haven also for eight years,” Cooney said at the meeting. “We also know Maggie here in Naugatuck because she has been working with our schools for the past six years focusing on building the capacity of our staff and working with our EL population and also helping us refine our curriculum instruction and programming.”

Stevens subsequently said she is excited to take all of what she has learned and apply it to one community.

“I’m really excited to be back with students and families and working with the staff,” Stevens said.