New Stapleton Elementary School Principal Named

Framingham Superintendent of Schools Stacy Scott named a new principal for Stapleton Elementary School late Friday afternoon.

After considering the needs of the school, along with input from staff and parent, Scott said he has named Joseph Smith the new principal.

"Smith will bring his experience in developing and implementing programs and optimizing curriculum to lead the school towards academic excellence," said Scott.  

"His experience as a special educator and reading coordinator will be valuable to Stapleton," said Scott.

Smith was one of two finalists for the position. Scott announced the finalists on July 18. Community members and parents had an opportunity to meet the finalists at a forum on July 25.

Smith holds two Master of Science degrees from Sage Graduate School; one is in Special Education and the other one is in Reading.  His undergraduate degree was awarded from the University at Albany in Albany New York.

For the past three years, he was the principal at Leeds Elementary School in 
Northampton and two years prior to that, he was the assistant principal at Crocker Farm Elementary School in Amherst. He also served one year as the Title I Coordinator in Amherst. His teaching experience includes: two years as a Title I teacher for the Amherst-Pelham Regional School District; five years as a special education teacher in the Albany, New York School District; and four years as a special education instructor in the Neil Hellman School-Parson’s Child and Family Center, a private special education school in Albany, New York.

Smith is living in Easthampton, but plans to relocate to the Framingham area.