John Brady: “Westport will always have a place in my heart.”WN photo Former Westport Staples High School principal John Brady, less than two weeks into his new job as superintendent of schools for a suburban New Haven district, said Westport will always remain special for him.
In an interview published Thursday in the weekly Amity Observer, Brady said it was a difficult decision to leave Staples to take over Oct. 18 as superintendent of the Amity Regional School District.
The newspaper quoted him as saying Westport, where he served in several central office administrative positions before taking the Staples principal’s job, would always have a place in his heart.
“I had a very exciting and rewarding career there,” he said, “but Westport is my past, and Amity is my future.”
The newspaper reported that under a contract approved Sept. 28, Brady will earn a base salary of $160,000 per year. The contract, which expires June 30, 2007, includes an annual annuity of $5,000.
In a letter to Staples parents dated Sept. 15, Brady had said economic consideratons played a role in his decision to move to the Amity position. (See WestportNow Sept. 18, 2004)
“While Westport has been exceedingly fair, the salary and benefit package of this superintendency is something that may not come along for me again,” he said.
“While the timing of my move may not be ideal for Westport, it could not come at a better time for my family as two of my children will return to full-time student status while my youngest continues her studies at Cornell.”
…just goes to show you, even Principals are human!!
John Brady rose to every occasion at Staples…meeting
each challenge with quiet optimism and endless energy.
Although many of us were shocked by the thought of his
leaving SHS so abruptly, how can anyone fault him for
putting his needs first? After all, he also has a family at
home who has needs…college tuition is no small expense…
and then, an opportunity to reach the highest level position
in his field…He would have to be insane to pass up the
Amity offer.
John deserves to be rewarded for his talent and dedication
in the education field…we may not be thrilled with Amity’s
timing, but its important to respect John’s decision and
move on…SHS has a lot to look forward to and we need to
impress upon the students what we gained by Dr. Brady’s
presence not what we lost.
Sandra Wendler