NHS Students Return

To New School Principal

By Martha Coville

Charles “Chip” Dumais began his job as Newtown High School principal after winter break, on January 2. Mr Dumais replaces Dr Jay Smith, the interim principal, who left in December.

Mr Dumais began his career as a physics and chemistry teacher at Haddam-Killingworth High School in Higganum, and most recently worked as an assistant principal at Staples High School in Westport. He holds both a bachelor of science degree and a master’s degree in physics from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, in Troy, N.Y. His interest in continuing professional development led him to leave teaching for administration. “The primary thing for me, as far as getting into administration, was the increase in opportunity to work with teachers as far as learning and staff development,” he said

Mr Dumais lives nearby, in Milford, “in a great neighborhood,” with his wife and their two young children. His son is 4 years old, and his daughter is “prekindergarten.”

Mr Dumais said that the most challenging part of his new job will be learning the ins and outs particular to Newtown High. “My first priority, of course, is that school is running well,” he said, “but of course, I also want to learn about the community.”

 “Great schools have history” is part of Mr Dumais’ credo. “There’s a tremendous amount of anthropology and history” in great schools, he said. “There are always written rules; the history is learning the unwritten rules. So I’m going to learn the history. My goal is to learn enough to able to look back and reflect on this year at graduation.”

Mr Dumais worked at the high school through the winter break. He said he had taken time to learn the layout of the building and to work his way through lots of paperwork. He said he next priority, when the new semester began on Wednesday, is get to know the Newtown community.

“The last thing I want to do is to be introduced to the staff at a faculty meeting. By the first faculty meeting, it’ll be more effective because we’ll have met already.” He said that he wants to meet teachers and students “informally,” at athletic practices, for examples. He also plans on meeting teachers in their offices on the second floor.

“I’ll be out in front of the building on the first days of the new semester” to meet both students and faculty, he said. “I find that’s an important way to meet people.” He also plans to introduce himself to students and teachers in the classroom. “I think that principals should be closely connected to the classroom,” he said, “so my goal is getting into the classroom, not in an evaluative fashion, but in an exploratory fashion.”

Managing The Proposed Renovation

Once ground is broken for the proposed expansion the New England Association of Schools requires from Newtown High School, Mr Dumais will oversee the educational aspects of the renovation. Thomas Jokubaitis, the interim superintendent who helped the Board of Education select Mr Dumais, said that Mr Dumais’s experience managing a building project at Staples High School in Westport made him a good fit for the district.

Mr Dumais said that during a renovation or expansion, “The number one priority is preserving the instructional nature of the building.” He explained that with construction, “There’s always going to be unplanned disruptions.” For instance, carpenters might stir up dust and set off a fire alarm. However, he said, “There are also disruptions that must be planned.” As an example, he explained the kinds of work that would need to be scheduled over a school break, or during summer vacation.

Communication between all parties is also essential when supervising a building project. “Having that experience [at Staples High School] is valuable,” he said, “but the main thing that I learned is in finding an effective way to communicate to the people who are going to work in the building, to the people who are going to pay for it.” Communication with the construction companies is also important. “My job is to make sure all the educational aspects of the plans are executed,” Mr Dumais said.

As he continues to learn the high school’s history, Mr Dumais said he wants to “increase the visibility of all the wonderful programs” at Newtown High School, and to find out “who the unsung heroes are,” among the teachers and staff.