“Stamford Public Schools is fortunate to have such an accomplished, inspiring, and dedicated team stepping into new administrative roles here in our district,” said Dr. Tamu Lucero, Superintendent. “To a one they are beloved, respected and admired by their colleagues, and most important, their students. All have extensive experience as classroom teachers and have made significant contributions to their learning communities. I continue to expect great work from these leaders, and know that they will not disappoint.”
All of the administrative appointments have been made from within the school district and are effective August 1st:
Angela Asaro, Interim Associate Superintendent for Research and Policy. In her new position, Asaro is responsible for managing Stamford Public School data and overseeing the research department to ensure the district meets its data collection and reporting obligations to the state. Additionally, she is responsible for district wide data used for student accountability, program evaluation, and the development of Board of Education policies based on state regulations and district needs. Asaro will provide guidance and direction to the Early Childhood and the Elementary School principals in implementing School Improvement Plans and meeting district goals and objectives.
Until her appointment as Interim Superintendent for Research and Policy, Asaro was the principal of Stillmeadow Elementary School, a position she held since 2017. Under her leadership, Stillmeadow was the first school in the district to pilot and implement the new literacy curriculum being introduced this year in all kindergartens, and rolled out to grades 1-5 over the next two years. Prior, she was Assistant Principal at Toquam Magnet Elementary School from 2014-2017 and Assistant Principal at Stillmeadow in 2013-2014. She began her career with SPS as a student teacher at Stillmeadow, joining the school in 2005 as a co-teacher for second and fifth grade. Asaro was a classroom teacher for eight years, over the course of which she was appointed Elementary Math Liaison in 2007, a Grade Level Leader in 2011, and was awarded the Spotlight in Teaching recognition for excellence in teaching. She is a CT certified elementary school teacher (K-6) and holds an Intermediate Administration and Supervision certification.
Kathleen Kelley, Interim Principal of Stillmeadow Elementary School. Since 2017, Kelley has been the Assistant Principal at Davenport Ridge Elementary, where she was instrumental in training students, staff and families in Yale’s RULER Program for Social Emotional Intelligence. She built the academic schedule, was closely involved in the district’s early childhood initiatives, and served as the Special Education Administrator, consistently committed to promoting a positive, collegial environment that is student focused and results oriented. Kelley began her career as a classroom teacher at Stillmeadow, where she rose to become a grade level leader and mentor. She was Administrative Intern at the school from 2014-2017 where she managed the Alliance and Title 1 grants, served on the data team and designed and supervised the school’s after school programs She served as district head teacher for Elementary Summer School in 2017 and is a three-time Teacher of the Year nominee. Kelley is a CT certified elementary school teacher (PreK-6) and holds an Intermediate Administration and Supervision certificate. She is a lifelong resident of Stamford and graduate of Stamford Public Schools, as is her husband and their two children.
Melissa Fano-Dropick, Interim Assistant Principal at Davenport Ridge Elementary School. Fano-Dropick is a CT certified special education teacher (K-12), certified remedial reading teacher and is awaiting administrative certification, which is imminent. Prior to her appointment as Interim Assistant Principal at Davenport Ridge, she was a Teacher-Leader for Student Support at the school. In this role, she used data and assessments to develop and monitor intervention plans to help students make progress towards goals, planned and facilitated professional development, and worked with building administrators to support teachers and families in instructional and social-emotional content. Fano-Dropick began her career at Rippowam Middle School, where she was a special education teacher (grades 6-7). During her tenure at Rippowam, she assumed positions of increasing responsibility, serving as the school’s Special Education PPT Facilitator (2005-2007) and Learning Performance and Data Coach (2007-2008). Following her time at Rippowam, she spent 10 years at Stillmeadow Elementary as a special education teacher (2008-2019) and SRBI teacher (2019-2022). Fano-Dropick has extensive training in evidence-based strategies to help students improve their reading and math skills.
Charles Langworth, Assistant Principal, Rippowam Middle School. Prior to his appointment, Langworth was the Math Instructional Coach at Rippowam Middle School, where he monitored and collected data for analysis of student achievement, worked with building administration to implement district and school initiatives, served on the committee to select a universal screener and was the school’s curriculum liaison. Langworth joined Stamford Public Schools in 1997 as a 7th grade math teacher, a position he held until 2014, when he became Rippowam’s Administrative Intern. He served as a TEAM mentor for new teachers, a Stamford Educators Association Union Representative, Chair of Rippowam’s Attendance Review Board and was recognized as Stamford’s Teacher of the Year in 2011. Langworth is a CT certified middle grades teacher (4-8) and holds an Intermediate Administration and Supervision Certification.
The Board of Education approved the following appointment at is regularly scheduled meeting on July 25th, effective immediately:
Jaimie Fisco, Principal, K.T. Murphy Elementary School. Fisco has served as the Interim Principal at K.T. Murphy since July of 2023, and was the school’s Assistant Principal for five years prior. She joined Stamford Public Schools in 2005 as a Special Education teacher at Stillmeadow, a position she held for nine years before joining Newfield Elementary as an SRBI Support Teacher/504 Coordinator in 2014. Fisco was appointed as an Administrative Intern at Toquam Magnet Elementary School in 2017 and Assistant Principal at K.T. Murphy in 2018. As K.T. Murphy’s Assistant Principal, she led the successful pilot of the district’s new literacy program being introduced in all kindergarten classes across the district this fall and rolled out in grades 1-5 over the next two years.
Fisco is a CT certified elementary school teacher (K-6), special education teacher (K-12) and holds an Intermediate Administration certification.
