CANTON — The Canton Public Schools announces that Dr. Jennifer Fischer-Mueller will be officially leaving her role as superintendent at the end of this month and that she has accepted a private sector position that will keep her in the educational field.
In October, she will begin in her new role as the president of Global Early Education and the Head of School for the Martin Trust Partnership in Education for Early Learners. Her last day with the Canton Public Schools will be Friday, Aug. 27.
“My five years at the Canton Public Schools have been a wonderful experience and I am proud to have worked each and every day to ensure our students are provided with the best education possible,” Dr. Fischer-Mueller said. “I was honored to be surrounded by an incredible administrative team made up of outstanding instructional leaders who have an unwavering commitment to educational excellence and equity. Also, I’d like to recognize the staff members who continued to display and embody hard work, collaboration and commitment to the students and their families throughout my time with the district. Lastly, I would like to thank members of our Canton School Committee for their continued support and dedication to our educators, students and families. I am looking forward to this new endeavor and am excited to be remaining in the education sector.”
Dr. Fischer-Mueller began serving as superintendent in 2016. She had previously held education administration positions in Brookline, Massachusetts and Amherst, New Hampshire. Prior to those roles, she was a science teacher in New Hampshire. She has over three decades of experience in education.
During her time as superintendent, she led the school community through the COVID-19 pandemic including the planning for the return to schools and the preparations for remote, hybrid and in-person learning.
She led the multi-stakeholder creation of the comprehensive, long-term Facilities Master Plan, as well as the five-year Strategic Framework which identifies the district’s long-term strategic objectives.
Initiatives such as successfully negotiating new contracts with educators at the Galvin Middle School and Canton High School to increase the length of the school day and instructional time, elevating the role of technology in teaching and learning, and increasing structured collaboration among educators were also spearheaded under Dr. Fischer-Mueller’s leadership.
Additionally, she has worked to implement ongoing coaching, support and supervision for administrators in the area of facilitative leadership with a focus on leadership, achievement for every student, communication with staff and families and equity.
“The School Committee is grateful for Jennifer’s leadership of our schools during the truly extraordinary circumstances of the past five years,” Canton School Committee Chair Kristian Merenda said. “It has been my great pleasure to serve on the School Committee alongside her as our Superintendent and come to know just how challenging, rewarding and critical the work of running a school district is. As a parent and public servant, I’ve been extremely impressed with Jennifer’s deep skillset as an educator, commitment to inclusivity and equity, and dedication to the continuous improvement of the district.”
She added, “Jennifer helped lead the way as our district devised and leveraged our first Strategic Framework for decision-making, made deep investments in individual access to technology, and modernized various facets of our curriculum. And, her work to prioritize the voice and choice of faculty in their own professional development and instructional approaches will likely have a tremendous impact on their overall professional satisfaction and student achievement for years to come. We are fortunate to have had Jennifer at the helm laying the groundwork to transform education in Canton. Her legacy here is rich, and she will be remembered fondly.”
Assistant Superintendent Derek Folan was named Interim Superintendent on July 8, effective July 30.
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