The bulk of the rest of the news release, lightly edited, follows:
“D’Alleva has a rich history with Medford Public Schools, where he served in various capacities including chemistry teacher, class adviser, varsity coach, assistant principal, principal and executive director of data and reporting. He holds a master’s degree in secondary education from Suffolk University and has earned postgraduate credits in school leadership from Salem State University and Fitchburg State University.
“D’Alleva expressed his enthusiasm for his new role, stating, ‘I am thrilled to assume the role of principal at Minuteman Technical Vocational High School, where students can thrive in a cutting-edge learning environment that nurtures their academic, social, and emotional growth. With a deep understanding of the importance of supporting all learners, I am committed to fostering a culture of excellence that benefits students, teachers and families alike.’
“Interim Superintendent Kevin Mahoney shared his excitement about D’Alleva’s appointment, saying, ‘We are incredibly pleased to welcome Mr. D’Alleva to Minuteman High School. His extensive background in education and his commitment to promoting student success make him an excellent fit for our school. I am also excited to watch our incoming Superintendent-Director Heidi Driscoll collaborate with Paul to continue driving our mission of
excellence in technical and vocational education.’
“A proud resident of Burlington, Mass., D’Alleva enjoys a vibrant family life with his wife, their 20-year-old daughter, 16-year-old son and 2-year-old golden retriever, Chapo. Minuteman High School provides a comprehensive and innovative education that prepares students for both college and career success. We look forward to the leadership and vision that Mr. D’Alleva will bring to our community.”
Background on Minuteman
The hiring of D’Alleva occurred on the final day of classes for the regular school year — and after what has been more than a year’s worth of significant personnel change at Minuteman. D’Alleva is to succeed Interim Principal Katie Bouchard; she has filled in for many months for the longtime former permanent principal, George Clement, who had been widely popular with students, staff and parents.
Clement’s essential firing as of June 30, 2023 — although he ceased coming to the office only a few weeks after having been notified of his status in early April 2023 — sent shockwaves through the Minuteman community, with many forms of protest ensuing, and the situation indirectly later led to the replacement of two committee members; a third voluntarily resigned because of moving out of district but still serves as an informal adviser.
The previous permanent superintendent-director, Kathleen Dawson, in spring 2023 was pilloried by the Minuteman public for having not renewed Clement’s contract. Dawson was also widely criticized for other perceived faults and resigned under pressure in early September for reasons — and with a compensation package — that have never yet been fully explained. Driscoll in summer is expected to succeed Mahoney, Dawson’s replacement, who has now already served for 13 months, since early May 2023. That is notably longer than Dawson actively served, as she came aboard July 1, 2022, and was put on administrative leave in early May 2023.
Minuteman Technical Vocational High School in Lexington, states that “it offers a rigorous and dynamic curriculum that combines academic excellence with hands-on technical and vocational training. Our goal is to equip students with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in a rapidly changing world. For more information, visit the website at www.minuteman.org”
More than 200 Arlington teens are enrolled at Minuteman High School, the sole campus of the Minuteman Regional Vocational Technical School District, which serves nine municipalities. That is not only by far the largest participation rate of any other given member municipality, but it is also more than twice the number of students from other single member municipality.
Feb. 15, 2024: Minuteman School Committee chooses permanent superintendent-director
This article, based on a news release from the Minuteman School Committee and YourArlington’s files was published the afternoon of Wednesday, June 12, 2024. Judith Pfeffer, editor of YourArlington since July 2023, has been covering schools for the hyperlocal nonprofit independent digital-only news website since July 2020.
