The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Schools head to retire in Nov.
Patricia Charles led district for 5 years, was a leader at city public schools since 1989
MIDDLETOWN >> The schools chief will retire at the end of this year, she announced in a letter to the education board, her staff and the community Wednesday.
“These past five years fulfilled a 25-year dream I had as Farm Hill (School) principal to someday lead Middletown Public Schools and the fabulous staff and students in our district,” Patricia Charles said in the memo. “My father actually predicted this in a doctor’s office many years ago when he happened to sit down and strike up a conversation with another patient while sitting in the waiting room. She turned out to be the mother of former superintendent, David Larson.
“Much to my embarrassment at the time he said to her, ‘Someday my daughter is going to have your son’s job!’” Indeed, she did. Middletown Board of Education Chairman Vinnie Loffredo said he learned about Charles’ intent to retire about a week and a half ago, but only recently
learned that she would be tentatively leaving Nov. 7.
“Since she’s giving a sixmonth window, it gives the board ample time to go through the rigorous process of interviewing candidates and hire someone before that date,” Loffredo said.
When she told the school board executive committee, he said with a laugh, “My reaction was ‘give us a year’s notice.’”
Charles, who was hired in June 2012, was unable to be reached for comment Wednesday afternoon.
In the school board’s last review of Charles’ performance, adopted last June, Charles received a glowing report.
“In these times of reduced financial resources, there was unanimous consensus that Dr. Charles continues to consistently meet the mutually established performance goals and provides outstanding leadership of the Middletown Public Schools. She is very aware that the most important job of the school district is to prepare all of our children to survive and thrive in the 21st century,” according to her 2015-16 school year evaluation.
The board and Charles agreed to focus on increased achievement in reading, math and higher graduation rates, as well as developing a plan for more diversity in staff.
In March 2012, Larson, who was superintendent between 1992 and 2000, took over as interim chief after former superintendent Michael Frechette left the leadership position.
“Seventeen of my 35 years as an educator have been in Middletown,” Charles said in her statement. “It will continue to be my home and I will do whatever I can to support the most important work there is — educating our children.”
In June 2012, Charles told the Press that being hired to head the schools was a dream come true.
“I can’t wait to get started,” she said. “The students, parents, staff, the board, the community — I think we can do wonderful things together. Why did I come back? Because I care deeply about Middletown.
“You won’t find anyone to work any harder for the kids in the district,” Charles said at the time. “I can’t wait to get started.”
Loffredo marveled at Charles’ long career.
“We’ve been really fortunate. She’s been an outstanding, great, phenomenal advocate for the children of Middletown and has been a wonderful person in my short tenure,” said Loffredo, who has served on the board for four years. “She’s been great to work with, very responsive, very caring, a very hard-working individual because of the scope and responsibilities of running an approximately 5,000 student population of K-12, plus preschool. It’s a very awesome and demanding responsibility and she’s done it well — very well.”
In her letter, Charles said she’s proud of all she has accomplished. “What a job it has been! Despite difficult budgets and the many issues educa- tors face today, I love this work and our school community…. We have innovative programs, many new grants to enhance our offerings and professional growth, as well as improved and new relationships throughout our community.”
According to her biography, Charles taught elementary and gifted and talented classes in West Hartford before joining the Middletown Public Schools in 1989. She was principal of Farm Hill School and later principal of Keigwin Middle School. Charles became assistant superintendent of Plainville Community Schools in 2002 and became superintendent of Westbrook Public Schools in 2006.
She has four sons who attended Middletown Public Schools, including Trevor Charles, a social studies teacher at Middletown High School, and an Ultimate Frisbee and swimming coach.