Contributed Photo
(Left to right) Stephen Bergin, Joseph DiBacco and Carol Merlone.
ANSONIA — Stephen Bergin was unanimously approved as the new Assistant Superintendent of Schools by the Ansonia Board of Education at its regular meeting on June 12 at Ansonia High School.
Bergin will officially begin his new role in July, soon after Joseph DiBacco takes the helm as superintendent of schools.
Bergin, who attended the Board meeting with family and friends, said he is eager to begin working in Ansonia.
“I am excited and honored to join the Ansonia community,” he said. “I have seen a lot of innovation and success within the district, which I am thrilled to become a part of. I am eager to get started and I am looking forward to meeting the students, their families and the dedicated staff.”
He was one of 33 applicants for the position and was one of seven who were interviewed by a committee comprised of teachers, administrators, a board member, and a member of the community. Bergin was the top candidate after several rounds of interviews.
His educational career includes leadership roles in several school districts, and his most recent position has been as a school principal for Southington Public Schools since 2014.
Previously, he was a principal for Orange Public Schools for two years, a principal in Hamden for five years, and an assistant principal in Westport for three years. He began his career as a classroom teacher for eight years in North Haven and Westport.
He obtained a bachelor of science degree in psychology from Northeastern University in 1995, followed by a master of arts in teaching from Simmons College in Boston in 1996. He received a sixth year degree in educational leadership from SCSU in 2004 and enrolled in the advanced official certificate program at CCSU in 2018, in order to obtain his state certification as a superintendent. He expects to obtain that certification in the near future.
DiBacco visited the Southington school district two weeks ago and spoke with a number of staff, including the assistant superintendent, director of literacy, math and science, a classroom teacher and a speech and language pathologist.
“What I heard was that Steve is the guy to get everyone working together,” DiBacco said. “I was told that the move to assistant superintendent is a logical transition for him, and he’s definitely ready for this. We welcome his energy, leadership and positive attitude.”
Bergin lives in Cheshire with his two children, daughter, Lily, a sophomore at Cheshire High School, and his son, Will, a junior.
School officials said his salary is $159,000.
Information from a press release.
