Maynard High School Principal Named Arlington Assistant Superintendent

Laura Chesson, the principal of Maynard High School, was named as Arlington’s new assistant superintendent Thursday night.

Chesson was selected from by Superintendent Kathleen Bodie and then confirmed by the School Committee Thursday in a unanimous vote.

“I think you’re going to be a great fit in Arlington, and I’m excited you’re here,” School Committee member Jeff Thielman told her at Thursday’s meeting.

The position is currently being filled by Wallis Raemer on an interim basis, and it’s been about four years since the district had a full-time assistant superintendent in place, Thielman said.

Chesson, who starts July 1, thanked Bodie and the School Committee for the opportunity.

“Words cannot express how excited and honored I am that [Bodie] selected me,” she said.

Bodie talked about how Chesson’s background and experiences fit perfectly with the district’s goals. She also said that all five finalists “could’ve come to Arlington and done an excellent job.”

In addition to Chesson, the finalists were:

• Kerry Dunne, Arlington’s K-12 director of history and social sciences

• Michael Harvey, Belmont High School’s principal

• Sheryl Boris-Schacter, a Wellesley elementary school principal

• Alexander Wyeth, an assistant superintendent in Norwood

Chesson’s Background

Prior to being Maynard High School’s principal, Chesson was the assistant principal at Leominster High School, a summer principal at the Boston Arts Academy, the assessment coordinator at the Boston Arts Academy, a program director at the Center for Collaborative Education in Boston and a math teacher in Hudson and in New Mexico. She also worked at IBM for a dozen years before becoming an educator.

Chesson has a doctorate in school leadership and a master’s in school administration from UMass Lowell. She also has a bachelor’s in computer science from Alfred University in New York.

New Director of Mathematics

The School Committee also approved Bodie’s recommendation for the district’s new director of mathematics, Matthew Coleman, a math teacher in Framingham.