Norwich school director ‘at home’
New IDCS chief had embraced principles before she was hired
Norwich — Ellen Retelle has learned in, taught in and led schools in countries all over the world. But she said her new position as director of the Integrated Day Charter School feels like home.
“I was sitting out front and saw three little girls come in laughing and playing,” Retelle recalled of the day she was hired. “They seemed so happy. I felt I’ve come home.”
Retelle, 59, became the 21-year-old public charter school’s fourth director in July. She succeeded Director Anna James, who retired.
The school is located in the former Thermos factory complex at 68 Thermos Ave. off Route 12 in Norwich.
Now a month into the school year, Retelle has cemented those first impressions, implemented some changes and is adjusting some goals she set for herself.
“When I got here, I had a goal to learn the names of all the students by October,” she said. “Now I think it will be mid-November.”
The preschool through eighthgrade charter school has 337 students from the greater Norwich area. The school features multi-age classrooms, combining students in kindergarten and first grade, second and third grades, and so on.
“This school is a gem. It’s an unknown gem. IDCS doesn’t even show up in some drop-down menus on the state’s website.” ELLEN RETELLE, INTEGRATED DAY CHARTER SCHOOL DIRECTOR
The state-funded school has a budget of about $4 million this year.
“This school is a gem,” Retelle said. “It’s an unknown gem. IDCS doesn’t even show up in some drop-down menus on the state’s website.”
After she gets to know the school’s staff, students and parents, Retelle wants to let the Norwich community get to know the charter school. She plans to go to Rotary clubs, civic events and develop a good relationship with Norwich Public Schools. She wants charter school students to take field trips within Norwich and be active in community projects.
Andrew Harvey, a member of the charter school governing board, was chairman when Retelle was hired. He said he was impressed that Retelle already had embraced the school’s guiding principles before she came to the interview. The school promotes individualized education, involves families as partners and integrates Core curriculum with arts and other aspects “that enable the students to assimilate understanding,” Harvey said.
“I think what made Ellen stand out the most was both her comprehensive background in education and as an administrator and her passion for progressive education,” Harvey said.
Retelle, who grew up in Lawrence, Mass., one of nine children, started her career as a volunteer in the Peace Corps. for two years in Antigua from 1982 to 1984.
“I was altruistic,” she said, “but I learned a lot more than I contributed.”
Worldwide journey
After she returned, she taught for one year at a Catholic school in Lawrence before starting a world tour of schools and classrooms. She taught at an inner-city Houston elementary school, at the Taipei American School in Taiwan and served as principal at International School of the Sacred Heart in Tokyo and then returned to college in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and also taught there.
She became an assistant professor at Lethbridge University in Alberta, Canada, and then wanted to return to New England, where all her family still lives. She and her longtime partner live in Avon with their two golden retrievers, Atticus and Theodate — one named for the character in “To Kill a Mockingbird” and the other for Connecticut’s first female architect.
Retelle became an associate professor in educational leadership at Central Connecticut State University and then joined the Capitol Region Education Council, which provides services to school districts in the greater Hartford area, as the director of professional learning.
She got the itch to return to active school administration last winter, she said, and saw the Integrated Day Charter School position posted.
One of her first changes at the school was to move the principal’s office from the hidden spot behind the main receptionist to a bright, window-lined office in the main lobby. She has a view of visitors approaching the main entrance and can watch students going up and down the stairs. Artwork from her many stops around the world during her career decorates her office walls.
Retelle also redesigned the parking and traffic pattern, separating parent drop-off from bus traffic and eliminating parking in front of the building.
She immediately determined that having four lunch waves meant some students were eating too late in the day, so she reduced it to three waves.
In the classroom, the school is gearing up to implement a new science curriculum in January. Retelle is working on professional development for teachers and paraprofessionals this fall. She is looking at the math curriculum next, and hopes to bring in math coaches for teachers.
Retelle’s quick acclimation didn’t surprise Joan Heffernan, one of the key founders of the charter school in 1997 and its first director.
Heffernan brings her two grandchildren to school every day and usually stays much of the day to volunteer wherever she’s needed.
Heffernan served on the interview panel that selected Retelle from the 27 initial candidates and the five finalists interviewed. Heffernan said Retelle came in very organized, with deep knowledge of the charter school and its philosophy.
“She had done her research, knew about our test scores, the community and absolutely understood our philosophy and everything we want to do,” Heffernan said. “... She’s been teaching classes on the things we teach.”