Three new principals for Framingham Public Schools picked ahead of next school year

FRAMINGHAM — A search for a new high school principal is underway, and three Framingham elementary schools have each named new principals for the 2024-25 school year, Superintendent of Schools Robert Tremblay told the Daily News.

Framingham Public Schools is looking for a new Framingham High School principal after Amy Gerade announced her resignation, effective June 30, from the district after a leave of absence.

"While away, I engaged in some thoughtful reflection and soul searching about what was best for both me and my family," Gerade wrote in a newsletter to the FHS community. "I was able to spend valuable time with my husband and kids. As they say when parenting children, the days are long but the years are short."

'She has a forward vision': Amy Gerade named permanent principal at Framigham High School

She continued: "I am extremely thankful to the FHS administrative team who have done and will continue to do good work on behalf of our staff and students. I am also very appreciative to Dr. Tremblay and members of the cabinet who have been extremely supportive of me taking time away and returning to assist the district in a different way."

The administrative staffing change is among several others occurring in Framingham Public Schools. Tremblay noted that while the optics do not look good, the changes are due to administrators taking on promotions at the district level.

Gerade is now director of curriculum, instruction and assessment in the Office of Teaching and Learning, which oversees curriculum for grades 6-12. After serving as interim principal when Carolyn Banach went on leave during the 2022-23 school year, Gerade was appointed full principal effective July 2023.

Mark Albright has been named interim Framingham High School principal through the end of this school year, and a search is underway for somebody to take the job on a permanent basis. Finalists will participate in a final round of interviews in mid-May.

Three other Framingham schools will get new principals

Three elementary schools will have new principals in the upcoming school year.

Kelly Gould was named principal of Brophy Elementary School. She comes from Worcester's Abby Kelley Foster Charter School, where she was principal. Gould replaces interim Principal John Gibbons, a retired Weston Public Schools principal. Gibbons was named principal shortly after this school year began, when Jessica Mandes resigned from the school district.

'Resignation is bittersweet': One week into school year, Framingham elementary school needs new principal

Mandes resigned just days into the school year. She was hired as director of multilingual education for Worcester Public Schools. She is a Worcester native, and previously worked in Worcester Public Schools prior to coming to Framingham.

The Hemenway Elementary School will have a new, but familiar, face serving as principal in 2024-25.

Marguerite Simpson-Lackard was named permanent principal at Hemenway, after serving as interim. Simpson-Lackard was previously named principal of King Elementary School ahead of the 2019-20 school year. But she went on leave sometime around November 2019, and did not return.

Simpson-Lackard began her career at Framingham Public Schools in 1999 as a math teacher, and has previously served as a mathematics department head, a vice principal and interim principal at Hemenway. Before her work in education, Simpson-Lackard was a pediatric physician at Boston Medical Center.

Simpson-Lackard replaces Marybeth O'Brien, who took a job in thecentral office as director of curriculum, instruction and assessment.

At Stapleton Elementary School, Tremblay said the district is close to naming a new principal after current Principal Sara Yuen announced she would take a position in a district closer to home.

School-related resignations usually take effect on June 30, the end of the fiscal year. New administrator contracts typically take effect on July 1.

This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: Framingham names 3 new elementary school principals; Gerade resigns