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Health & Fitness

Back to School with New Middletown Superintendent

Welcome to Pat Charles, the new Superintendent of Middletown schools.

Ah, it’s that time of year again. The smell of sharpened pencils is in the air. The sound of a fresh notebook cracking open can be heard. The sight of parents shopping for school supplies is around every corner in every store. It’s time for kids to head back to school, or at least to prepare for the inevitable end-of-summer anxieties.

Middletown will have a new superintendent welcoming the students back to its public schools this fall — . Pat was most recently the superintendent in Westbrook and she is also a member of the Board of Directors.

Pat has an extensive and impressive resume in education that makes her eminently qualified for the position as superintendent. She received her B.S. in Early Childhood Education from Central Connecticut State University, her M.S. in Guidance and Counseling from the University of Hartford, and her Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from Central Connecticut. She also earned her Superintendent Certification from the University of Connecticut and attended the Harvard School Leadership Program.

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Pat’s professional journey began as a teacher in 1977 in the West Hartford Public Schools, where she taught for twelve years. She has been a principal at both Farm Hill Elementary and Keigwin Middle Schools, both in Middletown. Pat then moved on to become an assistant superintendent at Plainville Community Schools before landing in Westbrook in 2006.

“I am excited to return to Middletown Public Schools,” Pat says. “Middletown is a community that comes together to get things done and I am happy to be part of that positive energy. There is a wonderful spirit of cooperation among the businesses, city government, local agencies, schools and citizens. 

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“I look forward to working with all of these groups to provide opportunities for student growth and achievement in school and in life,” she continues, “and to be a partner in making Middletown a city that is united in its efforts to provide the best for its citizens.”

Pat has been a valuable partner with United Way, lending her talent, knowledge and experience to our work at the board level, with campaign efforts, and towards our goal in education.

Beyond United Way, Pat also volunteers with HOPE Partnership in Old Saybrook, the Middlesex Coalition for Children, Westbrook Chamber of Commerce, and the American Heart Association.

Though I’m sure the Westbrook community will miss Pat dearly, the Middletown community is blessed to have her now guiding the public schools to help them reach their educational goals and graduate strong, motivated, and inspired young people. And for United Way, we are thankful she remains rooted in our region so she can help advance the common good for all in Middlesex County.

Best wishes to our good friend Pat Charles!

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