TAUNTON — Superintendent John Cabral is pleased to announce that Mulcahey Elementary School Assistant Principal Claudine Nichols has been chosen as the next principal of the East Taunton Elementary School.
Principal Nichols will formally assume her new position at the East Taunton Elementary School on July 1, 2022.
Nichols has worked within Taunton Public Schools for almost 28 years, most recently serving as the assistant principal of the Mulcahey Elementary School since 2019. She began her career in the district at the Mulcahey School in 1994 as a special needs teacher before joining the East Taunton Elementary School in 1997.
At the East Taunton Elementary School Nichols worked as a special needs teacher and was among some of the first to teach in the new school building when it opened in the late 1990s. She then went on to work as a teacher at the Chamberlain Elementary School and an instructional coach at the Bennett Elementary School. She also previously worked in the New Bedford and Brockton prior to joining Taunton.
“Claudine is an experienced educator having served in numerous teaching and administrative capacities within our district. During her time as an educator, she has developed and implemented numerous programs and curricula to better meet and serve the needs of our students,” Superintendent Cabral said. “I’m confident that as the leader of the East Taunton Elementary School, she will continue to implement robust educational opportunities for our students and professional development for our staff which will allow for the school’s continued growth.”
While working in Taunton, Nichols has led the assessment and action planning process for Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) at Mulcahey. She also worked with staff to improve the quality of instruction through implementing professional development that supports best practices and research-based instructional strategies.
Nichols has been named Teacher of the Year for Bristol County twice, once in 2000 and again in 2011. She currently serves as a PBIS coach and team leader and previously served on the district’s science, social studies, English, and STEM revision committees and as a past member of the STEM Network for the Massachusetts Department of Education.
“Leaving the Mulcahey School is a bittersweet moment as I have extremely fond memories of the school and have received a tremendous amount of support from the school community over the years, however, I greatly look forward to this new opportunity to return to the East Taunton Elementary School,” Principal Nichols said.
Nichols holds a bachelor’s and a master’s degree and a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study in Educational Leadership, all from Bridgewater State University. She is a member of Taunton High School’s Class of 1986.
Outside of the district, Nichols was a webmaster and board member of the Taunton West Little League Association and works closely with the Christ Community Church.
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