SPRINGFIELD, Mass.- Manchester School District Superintendent Dr. Jennifer Chmiel has been named the New England League of Middle School’s Superintendent of the Year. While it may have come as a surprise to Dr. Chmiel, it’s not a shock to those who work with her every day.
Dr. Chmiel has worked for Manchester School District since 2014, including serving as the principal of Southside before eventually moving into the District offices as Assistant Superintendent of Facilities and Operations in 2018. She was unanimously appointed to the superintendent position in 2022.
Dr. Chmiel was nominated for the award by her team of assistant superintendents including Dr. Kelly Espinola, Nicole Doherty, and Ryan Roth, who cited her fierce advocacy for public education throughout her career, and the strong community support she’s helped build and maintain for the district.
Her team says her experiences as both a former middle school teacher and principal have shaped her instructional lens and her enduring commitment to education. It’s evident to anyone who spends even a few minutes with Dr. Chmiel that her heart remains in the classroom. When a short block of time opens in her busy calendar, she can often be found checking in at one of our 20 schools. Any opportunity she can spend with students serves as a reminder of why she’s doing this job.
“I am truly honored and humbled to be named Superintendent of the Year. Healthy, thriving schools lead to healthy, thriving communities. The work we’re doing to improve our District’s four middle schools is proof of our deep commitment to middle-level education, along with high quality educational programming, efforts to recruit and retain the best teachers and staff for our students and our investments in 21st Century learning environments. ”
About New England League of Middle Schools: The New England League of Middle Schools is a nonprofit organization filed under Massachusetts Articles of Corporation. With 300 member schools and more than 15,000 individual members in six New England states and beyond, The New England League of Middle Schools is committed to offering quality professional development, advocacy for the important and unique middle years, networking, colleague support, and educational resources.