Press release from North Branford Intermediate School

The school year began at North Branford Intermediate School (NBIS) with staff, students, and families welcoming a familiar face, Carter Welch, Ed.D., to the role of interim principal. Welch takes over for the former principal Keith O’Rourke, who left right before the start of school for a role closer to his home. Although Dr. Welch is less familiar to the staff at NBIS, having only served them as director of curriculum and instruction in North Branford, he is very familiar to the students and families with whom he worked over several years as the principal at both Jerome Harrison Elementary School and Totoket Valley Elementary School.

As principal, Welch is excited to be working with the talented staff at NBIS including support staff, teachers, administrators, and some talented and passionate new teachers he assisted in hiring. When communicating with staff, he was clear to say he would be leaning on their expertise regarding the middle school student and the many social challenges of that age, but that he would be an involved leader with students and families. Welch was also happy to be directly supporting NBIS in implementing the district instructional vision and approaches in Making Thinking Visible (Harvard’s Project Zero) and Building Thinking Classrooms.

When asked about moving to NBIS, in addition to expanding “Thinking Classrooms,” Welch seemed most excited and enthusiastic about sharing in the “Davis Way,” which is a foundational philosophy that permeates the school and has for several years now.

The “Davis Way,” named after longtime educator and administrator in North Branford Alan Davis, embodies integrity, humility, and the symbolic meaning of the hawk itself: wisdom, focusing on the task at hand, and using the power of observation. In addition to these attributes, the “Davis Way” affirms that school is a place for learning, growing, laughing, belonging, and generosity of heart.

Welch spoke with emotion as he talked about supporting this legacy in the name of Davis, because Davis was an educator who helped shape Welch in his time in North Branford as a student when Davis was his high school geometry teacher, and Davis later supported and mentored Welch as a new administrator.

To Welch, supporting the “Davis Way” is an honor and humbling experience to carry on the legacy of such a wonderful man who positively impacted so many. He hopes to continue to establish the “Davis Way” as not just words, but rather a way of life and a way of being at NBIS that ensures everyone treats each other with respect, care, and acceptance.

Welch has his work cut out for him in 2023-’24 while serving as both the NBIS principal and the school district’s director of curriculum and instruction. He is up for the challenge and remains committed to serving the NBIS community, while also continuing to support changes in instructional approaches across the district with the goal of improving student achievement across the district and ensuring students are ready for career, college, lifelong learning, and serving their communities.

Welch is thankful for the students, staff, families, and leaders in the district who support him, and he is committed to serving them all and helping North Branford soar. So far, the start at NBIS and across the district continues to be very positive for staff and students and the work of “Making Thinking Visible,” making connections with students, and building positive climates will continue throughout the year.