East Windsor Board of Education Picks Assistant Principal to Head Broad Brook Elementary School

The East Windsor Board of Education has hired the assistant principal of Broad Brook Elementary School to be principal.

Laura Foxx was hired Thursday after being interviewed by the board in executive session. Acting Superintendent Carol A. Fox and incoming Superintendent Theresa Kane called Foxx around 11 p.m. Thursday to tell her she’d been hired.

Foxx said Friday she’s excited about her new job. She succeeds Jeanne McCarroll, who is retiring at the end of the month after 13 years at the helm.

“It’s good being an assistant principal but I’m looking forward to having my own building,” Foxx, who’s been assistant principal at Broad Brook for six years, said.

Foxx, 41, was previously a special education teacher in Somers public schools, and a teacher at St. Martha’s Catholic School in Enfield. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Boston College, master’s degree and post-graduate work from the University of Connecticut.

The board voted 5-2-1 to hire Foxx, Board Chairman John Pica-Sneeden said. The two dissenting votes from William Schultz and Lynn Stanley were not against Foxx but the two felt there should have been a wider search for the principal, Pica-Sneeden said.

“Laura has the full support of the board,” he said.

Foxx said having been assistant principal at Broad Brook will allow here to make a smooth transition into the new role of principal. She's also been involved in various committees and community organizations such as the .

“It helps when you know the school like the back of your hand,” Foxx said.

She said her knowing the staff, parents, students and involvement with community organizations will help.

Among the plans she has discussed with the superintendent, are ideas for improving test scores and intervention programs for students, Foxx said.

 Pica-Sneeden said board members were impressed by her innovative ideas including ideas to improve test scores.

“She has a very solid idea of where she wants to be a year from now,” Pica-Sneeden said. “I’m very confident in her approach.”

School officials are now going to form search committees for a new assistant principal at Broad Brook and a new principal at East Windsor High School. Liam O’Reilly on June 6 resigned from his position as principal, citing personal reasons, officials said.

Pica-Sneeden said the board hopes to have the two positions filled by the end of July  or beginning of August, ahead of the start of next school year.