As we end another academic year, we say goodbye to Dr. Hugh Galligan as principal and say hello to Mrs. Cindy Derrane as principal.
Cynthia Derrane will begin her new position as principal on July 1st.
Derrane has been teaching at NHS for over 30 years.
“So I started as a teacher, part-time. I was .08, which means I taught four classes, and that was my first year in 1992-93, and then I was full-time the following year. I taught Spanish,” she said
In those years, she has climbed the leadership ladder.
“In 2004, I became the world language department chair, and I was teaching two Spanish classes, and then the department chair for world languages. And I did that until 2018, when I became assistant principal. And then in 2022. I became associate principal. And this year, for 25-26 principal,” she said.
Derrane has remained at NHS because of her love of the diverse community.
“Way back when, in 1992, I decided to work here because the people were so nice and kind and compassionate, and at the time, the district had a lot of families that spoke other languages, and so it was like linguistically diverse and culturally diverse, and I really loved that. And since I’ve been here, our diversity has only grown and made us much stronger as a community.”
Derrane is aware of the huge tasks that lie ahead of her as the new principal.
“I’m very excited and very grateful to the Norwood community for all their support. I am aware of the enormous responsibility that I’m undertaking, and it’s one that I don’t take lightly. I will do my best to always lead with my whole heart and do what’s best for the students, families, and staff of Norwood High,” she said.
One of those tasks that she is inheriting is the new Freshman Academy.
“I think we’re doing a lot of great work now. That is, I can’t wait to continue. I think that the launch of the first-year academy in the fall is a great opportunity and really exciting to lay a strong foundation for our ninth graders. And I’m very excited to try to grow [our learning] programs where kids can get hands-on experience with different careers,” she said.
When she begins her role as principal, she wants to prioritize safety for everyone in the building.
“First and foremost, our top priority is always student, staff, and family safety. We want everybody to feel safe and welcome when they come into the building. I really want to support the amazing programs that we already have in place. I want to listen to staff and students to best figure out how I can support them, and then we’ll go from there,” she said.
When students return in the fall, they will have a principal who values student voice and vows to listen to those voices. “ Student voice is very important to me, so it’s very important that students feel heard and seen. And I will continue to listen to students when they have suggestions. And that’s how I think we’ll all grow and be stronger as a community.”
