The Board of Education voted to appoint Anne Uberti as the district’s new superintendent of schools in a 5-1 vote during a special meeting last night.

The appointment concludes the BOE’s search to find someone to fill the position after previous superintendent of schools Christopher Melillo announced his resignation from the role in early April.

Melillo officially stepped down from the position on June 30, moving on to become the next principal of Ox Ridge Elementary School in Darien. He served as Newtown Superintendent of Schools for two years, starting July 2022.

The BOE then appointed Dr JeanAnn Paddyfote as the interim superintendent during a June 24 meeting, and she officially took the position July 1. At said meeting, BOE Chair Alison Plante explained that Paddyfote taking on the role as interim superintendent would give the Board time to “ensure that we get this very critical decision right” regarding their search to hire a new superintendent.

Uberti’s appointment as the next superintendent of schools will take effect August 5.

Monday night, Uberti told the board she was “more incredibly honored and humbled than I could have even imagined in this moment that you have chosen me to lead this district forward as its next superintendent."

Uberti also said she is grateful to have worked with staff who are deeply invested in their work and want the best for their schools, families, and students during her 11 years in Newtown to date.

She believes the people employed in the district, between nurses, custodians, and maintenance staff members to teachers, para educators, and administrators, make up the fabric of Newtown Public Schools, and that she is “inspired every day by what they do,” she also stated.

Uberti's position as assistant superintendent, she noted, has given her the unique opportunity to be in classrooms from pre-K through 12th grade, and that being able to follow some of her students on their educational journeys through the schools has “truly been a gift.”

“It is because of all this for me, serving as a leader in Newtown Public Schools has always been unlike any other job, and that is that I've never felt like I have to go to work. I feel like I get to go to work,” Uberti said. “This is not something I have to do; it’s something I get to do, and now I will get to be superintendent, and I can't wait to get started.”

In a district press release regarding the announcement, Uberti expressed her commitment to Newtown, stating that as she contemplates the future of Newtown Public Schools, “I am optimistic that the work I have led in recent years is positively influencing our students’ school experiences and academic achievement. However, in the dynamic landscape of education, it is imperative that we be fully committed to continuous improvement.”

Uberti thanked the Board for their comments of support, and said that she extended her sincerest gratitude toward each of them for their service and commitment to the children of Newtown. She also thanked her family — especially her husband, Jim, and her children, Elise and Nick — for their support throughout her career.

“Thank you again for the opportunity, and I look forward to so many accomplishments working with you in the years ahead,” Uberti said.

'No Stranger To Newtown'

A graduate of Florida State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology, Uberti earned her Master of Arts in Teaching at Sacred Heart University. She received her principal certification from University of Bridgeport and her superintendent certification from Central Connecticut State University.

Uberti began her educational journey as an elementary teacher in Middlebury, Naugatuck, and Woodbury, and later served as a principal in Thomaston.

She arrived in Newtown in 2013, serving as Principal of Reed Intermediate School. Six years later, in 2019, she was appointed the district’s Assistant Superintendent of Schools.

BOE member Chris Gilson on Monday said while serving as assistant superintendent, Uberti drove the selection and implementation of the district’s new K-5 reading curriculum, and implemented the Kindergarten Readiness pilot program for the coming school year in response to the statewide change in kindergarten start age.

The district press release on the announcement, referring to Uberti as “no stranger to Newtown,” said she was responsible for oversight of curriculum, instruction, and professional development across the district and that she has been a champion of using data to understand student progress, identify gaps, and design interventions to move student achievement forward.

The End Of A Search

Plante thanked the Board, which she says acted as a search committee for the process of finding a superintendent. She added that it is "genuinely a privilege" for her to work with her fellow board members, stating “these individuals are dedicated, well intentioned, apolitical and smart, and that really shined through in this process.”

“So thanks to each and every one of you for all the extra meetings and late nights over the last few months. We spent many evenings deliberating in conference rooms in this building and at the high school and at Reed; talking for so long that the lights often went off in the hallways around us,” Plante said. “Your commitment to our schools and to our students is commendable, and I thank you.”

Plante also specifically thanked their search consultant Mary Broderick, as well as the search committee’s co-chairs, Gilson and former BOE member Donald Ramsey for managing the logistics of the search process and keeping everything on track.

Ramsey stepped down from the BOE on July 19.

Gilson said the BOE had a plan following Melillo’s resignation announcement in April that provided the Board with a “general roadmap” for the process. These included guidance from a legal perspective, Connecticut statutes, and documents from the previous search to fill the position in 2022.

Gilson also echoed Plante’s past statement about Paddyfote’s appointment as interim superintendent, saying her excellent leadership and experience gave the Board “time for careful and thorough consideration of candidates with the district in her capable hands.”

He explained that the Board then reached out to Connecticut Association of Boards of Education (CABE) Search Services after reviewing various superintendent search consultant proposals, and eventually began to work alongside Broderick in their process of finding a new superintendent.

Wanting the build from the previous leadership profile in 2022, the BOE also commissioned an updated public survey with the goal of gathering feedback from the community on what qualities, experiences, and characteristics residents desired in a new superintendent.

The survey ran until May 19. Broderick then presented an updated leadership profile to the BOE based on that information during a May 28 meeting. Gilson said more than 300 responses were received from community members, town officials, teachers, and others.

The feedback, he added, highlighted that the community wanted someone who is a rigorous instructional leader, had the ability to articulate a compelling and inspirational vision for the district, showed creative thinking with excellent leadership skills, and, most importantly, a commitment to Newtown, among other traits.

Gilson said that, from his perspective, he felt Uberti was “clearly the best choice based on our school’s unique characteristics and needs,” citing her educational and administrative history in Newtown and beyond. He went on to talk about how Uberti is highly organized, shows clear expertise in interpreting and using educational data, and actively addresses and solves challenges and problems facing the district.

“She does not shy away from making difficult decisions, and she actively seeks to embrace accountability. And most importantly to me, she has a deep commitment to our Newtown kids,” Gilson said. “There's an impressive amount of experience and vision in our building, staff and administrators to be embraced.”

Fellow BOE members John Vouros, Brian Leonardi, Doria Linnetz, and Shannon Tomai all shared words of encouragement for Uberti and their belief in her taking on the role as superintendent of schools.

Leonardi, the one BOE member who did not vote in favor of Uberti, encouraged everyone to know that his vote was in no way a reflection of Uberti, While he has not had much of an opportunity to work with her yet as a newer BOE member, he said, he has come to admire her commitment to Newtown’s schools, teachers, and especially its students through the interview process.

Plante closed BOE member comments, saying she has had the pleasure of working with Uberti for the last two years and was incredibly excited to take the vote because she “believes [Uberti’s] the right leader for Newtown at this moment.”

“She's a natural problem solver, she's a collaborator, and she's willing to tell hard truths. She is both a leader and a manager, and this role demands both. She's action oriented and gets things done,” Plante continued. “Whether you look at it through the lens of curriculum and instruction, climate and culture, or strategic planning, Uberti stepping into this role is going to have an immediate impact on the educational experience for our kids, and I couldn’t be happier to cast this vote and to keep moving forward.”

Paddyfote will remain with the district for a period of time to assist with the transition. A search process will begin imminently to find someone to fill the role as assistant superintendent.

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Reporter Jenna Visca can be reached at jenna@thebee.com.