There’s one for-sure thing New Canaan’s new interim superintendent of schools, Dr. Bryan Luizzi, knows will be a big change for him — the quiet.
Sitting last Friday in his spacious, well-appointed corner office at the Board of Education’s headquarters at 39 Locust St., the former principal of New Canaan High School cited a truism about his last job.
• More: Back to school in New Canaan
“It’s said that a high school principal is interrupted from whatever they’re doing every five to seven minutes,” he offered. “It’s nice and quiet here, and that’s going to take getting used to.”
The affable Luizzi will no doubt face trials much more serious than the lack of noise and/or attention, but the 43-year-old career educator is up for all challenges.
“To be able to lead the New Canaan Department of Education is humbling and energizing,” he said. “It’s an enormous responsibility, and I’m going to give it my all.”
Luizzi, who lives in Brookfield with his wife, Jodi, and daughters Josie, 13, and Mia Rose, 11, served as principal at New Canaan High School for the past three years. When former superintendent Dr. Mary Kolek announced her retirement last spring, the Board of Ed chose Luizzi to succeed her.
“They wanted continuity, and I aspired to this position, so it’s a great match,” Luizzi said. “I didn’t apply to be superintendent, so to use the word lucky, I’m good with that. And now I’m working to make the most of it.”
In a statement issued after Luizzi’s hiring, Board of Education Chairman Hazel Hobbs said: “We sought to build upon what Dr. Kolek and the school district have created. We are excited to have an interim superintendent who can lead our high-performing school district in the continuous pursuit of excellence. Dr. Luizzi is an experienced leader with the skills and passion required to lead the district.”
Added Kolek, who served New Canaan public schools for 10 years: “Dr. Luizzi has consistently demonstrated his commitment to the core beliefs and vision that define and guide the New Canaan Public Schools. His strong working knowledge of the culture and strengths of the district and community will allow him, working in concert with the Board and leadership team, to enhance, expand and create initiatives designed to support and grow student well being and success.”
Rather than focusing purely on one school, Luizzi now must take a broader view of the entire New Canaan school system, working with many new people and organizations.
“I’ll be widening the lens,” he said. “Instead of leading one building, I now lead five. Instead of 1,200 students, there are 4,000. There will be a bit of a learning curve. I’ve gotten guidance from Dr. Kolek, and spoken with other superintendents across the state and in New York.
“My intention is to be in the school buildings as much as possible, because that’s where the work of teaching is done. I’ll be doing classroom drop-ins, and then there are quite a few evening events and meetings. I also want to meet with community groups. It’s a 24/7 position, but so was being the high school principal.”
Luizzi said technology in schools is here to stay, but that it didn’t mean less teaching, just a change in how learning is done.
“The shift is away from purely instructional learning to technological learning,” he said. “The old model of the ‘sage on stage’ where students take notes on what’s said and just regurgitate it on tests is over. It’s no longer just about information. Now it’s accessing the information to create something with it.
“However, interaction between teacher and student is still the core.”
Luizzi began his teaching career at Newtown High School as an English teacher. He then served as the manager of technology operations for the Newtown school district. In that role, he used a systems-thinking approach to successfully design and implement technology initiatives to enhance student learning district-wide. He then progressed through a number of administrative positions in the Brookfield school system, culminating in his appointment as the principal of Brookfield High School, a position he held for five years.
In 2006, he completed his doctor of education degree at Teachers College, Columbia University. Soon thereafter, he began teaching as an adjunct professor at Central Connecticut State University and at the University of Connecticut..
Luizzi understands the passion New Canaanites have for education. He learned it on his first day as principal in 2011.
“It was ‘meet the principal’ on a Wednesday morning, and over 200 people came,” he recalled. “Right there it showed me how much people here care about the schools. Having been in different towns, I can say that parents in New Canaan are more invested and involved here than anywhere I’ve ever seen.”
That’s not to say Luizzi thinks things are so much different elsewhere.
“Every school system has its own unique character,” he said. “”We have an outstanding system that we will work to make even better. It’s not easy. To work for continual improvement takes focus and commitment.
“What we do in education is the most important work anyone could do. Parents always want what’s best for their kids, no matter the community. We would expect them to, because we want what’s best for their children as well.”
In the fall, the Board of Education will determine the process to fill the permanent superintendent position. Luizzi is working under a one-year contract, which stipulates that in the event someone else is hired as permanent superintendent, he will return as New Canaan High School principal. His salary for the year as interim superintendent is $225,000. He was paid $180,209 last year as NCHS principal.
“There have been a lot of personnel changes,” he said. “Two of the three elementary schools have new principals and new assistant principals.”
At the high school, Dr. Veronica LeDuc is acting principal, while Steven Bedard is acting assistant principal.
“As the new interim superintendent, I want to get to know everybody and for them to get to know me. Hopefully all goes well, because I know I’d be very happy to do this job for a long time.”
Dr. Bryan Luizzi, interim superintendent of New Canaan Public Schools, speaks at a Board of Education meeting Monday evening, Aug. 18. (Aaron Marsh photo)