John Winthrop Middle School (JWMS) and Deep River Elementary School (DRES) will start their summers with new leaders following May 26 votes by the Region 4 and DRES boards of education.

The Region 4 Board of Education voted to appoint Melissa Morgan-Hostetler as the new principal of JWMS and the DRES Board named Joshua Torchia as DRES principal. Both begin on July 1.

Morgan-Hostetler previously served as a classroom teacher for 13 years and as a school administrator for six years. Her most recent role is her current position as principal of Timothy Edwards Middle School in South Windsor, where she served in the position for the last three years.

Superintendent of Region 4 Schools Brian White shared his optimism about the appointment of Morgan-Hostetler in a district press release.

“I am confident that Ms. Morgan-Hostetler will meet with success in her new role and lead the Winthrop Middle School community into its next chapter,” he said.

White told the Courier that Morgan-Hostetler’s 13-year career as an educator includes a start as a 3rd-grade teacher in Ellington; she was also a soccer coach at that town’s high school. She then became a 6th-grade teacher at Stafford Middle School, and then became that school’s assistant principal. This later led her to becoming part of the administration at Timothy Edwards, where she would go on to become principal.

According to Reg. 4’s press release, Morgan-Hostetler’s appointment is the culmination of an extensive research and interview process for potential candidates, with a diverse group of stakeholders as part of the process as well. Those who participated in the process include community members, Region 4 district schools staff, and Region 4 Board of Education (BOE) and administration members.

As part of the research and interview process, all candidates are screened as part of two separate committee interviews, during which an inclusive group of staff, parent, and BOE representatives as stakeholders on each committee lead questioning and researching. A third administrative level interview then occurred before an ultimate recommendation to the BOE, whereby Morgan-Hostetler was then officially appointed.

“We’re really excited to have her. I think she’s going to bring some very strong middle-level experience to John Wintrop, as she’s worked with middle school students previously,” said White. “I think it was really her background as a middle-level educator coupled with other leadership experience that really had her stand out for the interview committees.”

Torchia has served five years as an elementary teacher, two years as an elementary assistant principal, and four years most recently as assistant principal at Brooklyn Middle School in Brooklyn, Connecticut.

White stated in a release, “I am confident that Mr. Torchia will meet with success in his new role and lead the Deep River Elementary School community into its next chapter.”

Torchia’s appointment is the culmination of an extensive search and interview process in which a diverse population of stakeholders were invited to participate including community members, staff, and Board of Education and administration members.