TURNERS FALLS – Along with the class of 2019, Great Falls Middle School and Turners Falls High School Principal Annie Leonard will be leaving the school district in June.
According to a press release from Superintendent Michael Sullivan, on Saturday, Jan. 19, Leonard will be taking medical leave beginning in mid-February “due to an illness requiring surgery.”
“She plans to return to work as soon thereafter as possible,” wrote Sullivan. “In addition, she will resign her position at the end of the school year in June. I am sure that Principal Leonard will continue to retain her singular focus on doing what is best for our students in the months ahead as she has for the last three and a half years.”
Prior to her arrival at Turners Falls High School, Leonard was an assistant high school principal for nine years and a teacher for 12 years.
Recently, Sullivan and Leonard have been working to respond to civil rights violations in Turners Falls High School and Great Falls Middle Schools including meeting at the Collaborative in Northampton with two of their trainers who have experience with diversity, inequity and social justice work in schools.
“This is sudden and difficult news for our community and I would like to express our shared concern and positive wishes for Annie,” added Sullivan.