By Brian Park
Executive In-Depth Editor|
Former special education division head Scott McDermott is the new associate principal of Prospect, after the position was vacated by former associate principal Michelle Dowling to be the new principal. Former special education teacher Julie Stoker will now take McDermott’s place.
McDermott first came to Prospect four years ago as the division head for special education. He first got interested in special education during his junior and senior years in high school by volunteering at the school for disabilities right next to Prospect.
Then, McDermott worked at Little City Foundation, a group home for kids with profound disabilities, and he has been teaching since 1994.
For the new position of associate principal, McDermott showed interest when all the division heads were considered, and was ultimately chosen by Dowling.
“I love working with all kinds of instructional programs and this is a new challenge for me,” McDermott said. “It allows me to get into the other disciplines as well. Right now, I was kind of confined in working with special education. It didn’t allow me as many opportunities outside of the department as this will.”
The major responsibilities of the new position include overseeing all of instructional programs, overseeing PSAE, focusing on goals for growth and developing capacity with teachers and other leaders in the building to continue to improve the way they deliver instruction and opportunities for kids.
Now as the associate principal, McDermott plans to continue to put programs into place that support students’ growth, both emotionally, academically and personally, as well as to be open to suggestions for new programs for kids who are struggling.
To put these programs to action, McDermott plan to collaborate with Dowling, where he thinks there is a great working relationship between them. As a whole, McDermott sees the people in the entire leadership team being strong, in that they collaborate on decisions and directions they are headed.
“I’m going to be relying on her[Dowling] a lot from a standpoint of, ‘she did this job so well for so many years,’” McDermott said. “She’s got a lot to share with me. So I guess the big thing is not working in isolation.”