Deirdre Amerling Appointed as Brookside Elementary School Principal

Deirdre Amerling will replace retiring  principal John Wells, school officials said. She was appointed as the principal during the  Board of Education meeting earlier this week.

Amerling has served as an assistant principal at for the past eight years, where she has helped implement various school, district, state and federal initiatives including: Positive Behavior Intervention Supports (PBIS), Response to Intervention (RTI), Annual Professional Performance Review (APPR), Tech Tuesdays, the Positive Role Model program, Literacy and Mathematics curriculum mapping, utilization of student data analysis to inform instruction, and the implementation of research-based programs.

"Mrs. Amerling has all of the qualities necessary to be an outstanding principal at Brookside School," Superintendent of Schools Dr. Ralph Napolitano said. "She loves and respects children, and is concerned with their welfare, safety, academic and character growth and development."

Napolitano said the woman sees the importance of the "big picture that supports the whole child" and understands the importance of providing for students in a caring environment.

"She has a positive relationship and rapport with parents and staff, and views herself as a partner with them in the education process and experience," Napolitano said. "She knows, understands and has been responsive to our school community and to the community at large."

Amerling will transition into the position as principal, with the assistance of her long-standing colleague and current principal Wells, through August 31. That's when Wells will retire and Amerling will continue in the new role.