Schools

Welcome Back: Richards Named New Belmont High Principal

Melrose High principal coming back to old stomping grounds.

Thomas Wolfe, be damned.

Dan Richards is coming back to his educational home.

Belmont School Superintendent Dr. Thomas Kingston announced in a newsletter sent to staff that Dan Richards has accepted an invitation to be the next Belmont High School principal.

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Richards was an assistant principal at Belmont High for seven years before being named Melrose High School principal last year.

He was selected last Friday as a finalist with Purnima Vadhera, interim principal of Somerville's Arthur D Healey School to succeed Dr. Michael Harvey, Belmont High School's current principal, who will become superintendent of the Hamilton-Wenham Regional School District.

Find out what's happening in Belmontwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"Informed by the responses of (Belmont High School) staff and members of the Belmont community who met the candidates on June 12, and impressed by the quality of interviews with senior staff, I formally offered the position to Mr. Richards on Wednesday evening," wrote Kingston in the newsletter.

Kingston said the Belmont and Melrose school systems will work with Richards on a transition plan.

"Dan’s prior notable experience in Belmont, the rapid successes during his principalship in Melrose, and his commendable years in Peabody and at Newton South have prepared him well for this next, long-term stage of his career," said Kingston.  

"He will guide Belmont High School at a critical time as we respond to the forthcoming findings of the NEASC accreditation review, pursue the need for major structural improvements, and explore new instructional models that will continue to make Belmont High School an example of excellence well into this century."


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