Greenwich special ed coordinator moving to Brookfield schools
BROOKFIELD — The town’s school district announced the hiring of a new administrator this week, filling one of three leadership positions left open after a string of recent departures this school year.
In a decision made official on Wednesday, Superintendent John Barile and the Board of Education announced Amy DeNicola-Hickman will become Brookfield schools’ new director of special services.
In February, Gina Wignok announced her departure from the post with plans to start a similar role in Waterford Public Schools next month — that personnel news came four months after Huckleberry Hill Elementary School Principal Melissa Labrosciano accepted a new role in Redding; and about two months after the school district signaled that Assistant Superintendent Maureen Ruby would take on a new role at Sacred Heart University.
DeNicola-Hickman comes to Brookfield after working for almost six years in the Greenwich Public Schools system where she oversaw 70 staff and 420 students as the district’s preschool and elementary special education coordinator.
Barile stated DeNicola-Hickman’s resume reflects a “rare depth” of engagement across all grade levels while showing strong experience in the areas of program monitoring, assessment, and developing individualized education plans, or IEPs.
The superintendent also noted the new hire’s education experience, concentrating on a master’s thesis, “on the effects of Alternative and Augmentative Communication on Behavior for Students with Autism.”
“Attracting someone of Amy’s caliber to our school district is a testament to our reputation in Brookfield for supporting our most vulnerable students,” Barile said in the statement. “Her demonstrated ability to develop genuine relationships is a leadership attribute we were looking for.”
The school district’s announcement quoted an “excited” DeNicola-Hickman, who said she would take her first day on the job in Brookfield on May 2.
“It is my goal that my belief in collaboration and teamwork will support building strong relationships with the parents, faculty, students and administrators, as well as the Board of Education,” she said.
DeNicola-Hickman gave notice that she was leaving Greenwich Public Schools April 1.
“We are grateful for her service at Greenwich Public Schools and wish her nothing but the best with this big promotion,” GPS superintendent Toni Jones said.
Greenwich Public Schools posted the open preschool and elementary special education coordinator position Thursday. The job is available immediately, according to the listing.
The district is also seeking a high school special education coordinator, but the position is not open until July 1. The salary range for the position, covered by the Greenwich Organization of School Administrators, is $169,829176,905.