Special to the Journal Tribune

WELLS

Faculty, staff and parents of students at Wells Elementary School got the chance to meet their new principal during a meet-and-greet on Tuesday.

The Wells-Ogunquit Community School District announced on April 6 that Christopher Roche, principal of R.D. Seymour Elementary School in East Granby, Connecticut, will take over at the elementary school. His first official day is July 1, but he was in town Tuesday to meet school employees and members of the community.

Roche, 38, is originally from Bethpage, New York, and said he has visited relatives in Wells many times.

“It is a town that I wish I grew up in,” he said in a phone interview.

Prior to moving to Connecticut, Roche was a principal in Texas, where he earned professional recognition on the Val-Ed Vanderbilt Principal Survey and Texas A&M Social Processes Survey. He attended Sacred Heart University, graduating with a degree in psychology, and Texas State University.

According to a press release from the Wells-Ogunquit school district, Roche was selected for his leadership abilities, innovation, communication and collaboration skills, dedication, understanding of the value of parents as partners, expertise, and experience with the implementation of new technologies into curriculum.

“In my 50 years in education, Chris Roche is one of the brightest young leaders I have ever met,” said Wayne Johnson, former superintendent of schools in Port Arkansas, Texas, according to the press release. “His depth of commitment, drive and passion for stu- dents is incredible.”

The search process for a new principal began in February with meetings of the school faculty and the Wells Elementary Parent Teacher Association. Two committees chose five candidates, of which Roche was chosen as the top candidate. Roche is moving to Wells at the end of the current school year with his wife, Sarah, and his son, Michael. He said he plans to bring “a high degree of energy and enthusiasm,” and that “everything I do is kids first.”

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