HAMPTON -- On Tuesday, June 27, SAU21 Superintendent of Schools Jack Bourgoin officially announced the appointment of Kevin F. Moran to the position of principal of Hampton Academy Junior High School. Beginning next week, Moran will fill the vacancy left by the departure of former HAJH Principal Jan Yost, who has moved on to serve as principal at Rye Middle School.

Moran, who lives in Georgetown, Massachusetts with his wife and two sons, was selected from a field of approximately 20 applicants for the position. Upon recommendation by Superintendent Bourgoin — who served as a member of a screening committee composed of Elementary Director Michelle Munson, Centre School Principal Nancy Andrews, Marston School Principal David O'Connor, Math Curriculum Facilitator Connie Leavitt, Language Arts Curriculum Facilitator Gwen Poirier, and Special Education Director Regina LeVoie — Moran was unanimously voted in, being one of two finalists interviewed by the committee.

An athletic coach and community official in his hometown, Moran brings a wealth of experience in working with students at the junior high level, serving as a Language Arts/ Latin teacher at Stoneham (MA) Middle School from 1975-1985, and acting as substitute vice principal at the same school from 1982-85. He was the assistant principal at the Saugus (MA) Middle School from 1985 to 1991; the principal at Frisbee Middle School in Kittery, Maine from 1991-1994; and the principal at Briscoe Middle School in Beverly, Massachusetts from 1994 to 1999.

Prior to his appointment as the new HAJH principal, he served as the interim director of special education for Reading (MA) public school for the 1999-2000 academic year, which he says limited his much-enjoyed interaction with students. Of his new appointment with the Hampton school system, Moran says he's excited to have the opportunity to be back working actively with junior high school kids.

"This is the level that I really enjoy," Moran says. "We [as educators) can still have a positive effect on them. We can help [students this age] get on the right track. It's challenging, but we can help them meet that challenge."

Moran is also looking forward to working with his new colleagues, commenting "I'd like to build relationships with the staff and other administrators." He says he can't wait to "get to know the kids and get to know the community."

Moran has some time over the summer months to familiarize himself with school curriculum, and HAJH Assistant Principal Stan Shupe has supplied him with a copy of the school handbook to look over before he officially takes over the principal's seat. As far as that curriculum is concerned, Moran says it's important to "set benchmarks for the kids and make sure your curriculum meets those benchmarks."

Moran says that HAJH got some very high ratings ("I've heard a lot of good things about it — a lot of positives") from several people he knows both in and out of the academic arena. Mostly he is thrilled to be able to come to work in Hampton ("I love the Seacoast area") and is especially glad to be back with students at the junior high level.

Before he applied for the principal's position, a friend had told him, "I think you'd fit in [at HAJH] really well." Moran agreed, observing "This is an opportunity I can't pass up."

Now that he has that opportunity well in hand, Moran is looking forward to getting down to business. Says the newly-appointed principal of Hampton Academy Junior High School, "I'd really like to come in and be happy at school, and enjoy myself both personally and professionally."