SOMERS, N.Y. - Somers Middle School will begin the 2026-2027 school year with a new principal.
Paul Brennan was appointed to the position at the Board of Education’s May 5 meeting.
His probationary term officially starts on July 1, but Brennan intends to be at the school way before that, getting to know teachers, staff, students, parents, and community members.
The new Somers administrator’s goal is to be both “visible and engaging.”
“I want to know every kid’s name and I want them to know mine,” he said.
‘CULTURE BUILDER’ SOUGHT
Brennan, who spent 15 years as a Social Studies teacher in Carmel schools, is currently assistant principal at Cornwall Central Middle School in Cornwall, across the Hudson in Orange County.
He will be stepping in for outgoing SMS Principal Jennifer Mangone, who is resigning as of June 30 to become principal of Siwanoy Elementary School in Pelham.
Brennan will be paid an annual salary of $170,000.
According to schools Superintendent Dr. Adam Bronstein, who recommended Brennan for the post, the search for Mangone’s replacement included surveying stakeholders to find out what they wanted to see in a principal candidate.
“Themes included a student-focused instructional leader who could build on SMS’s many strengths, including its thriving learning community and experienced and dedicated staff,” he said.
The search team’s wish list included “a visionary leader” who could carry forward the district’s values of “collaboration, honoring teacher experience, and shared leadership,” Bronstein added, noting that it also looked for someone who was a “culture builder who will continue to embrace the energy and creativity of middle school students” and who “leads with confidence and joy.”
(In education speak, a “culture builder” is a leader who intentionally shapes a positive, collaborative, and high-achieving environment.)
BRENNAN’S BACKGROUND
Brennan, who has 18 years of experience in education, has been assistant principal at Cornwall Central Middle School since 2022.
According to Bronstein, Brennan’s current role has “focused on instructional leadership, systems improvement, and community engagement” and his key contributions include “developing a new teacher academy to support onboarding and mentorship, restructuring systems to better address students’ academic and behavioral needs, and leading the implementation of digital assessments and instructional technology.”
He also worked on the “integration of restorative practices into schoolwide discipline, strengthening community and family partnerships through engagement initiatives,” the superintendent added.
Brennan briefly served as the acting co-principal of Cornwall Central Middle School.
Prior to becoming an administrator, he was a Social Studies teacher in Carmel at both the middle and high school levels, including as an integrated co-teacher.
His wife, Sarah, is a special education teacher in the Carmel Central School District. The couple live in Stormville and have two sons, ages three and eight.
Brennan has coached basketball and lacrosse at both the varsity and youth levels in Carmel.
He has a bachelor’s degree in history from SUNY Geneseo and a master’s degree in instructional technology and educational leadership from the New York Institute of Technology.
Brennan holds professional New York state certifications in Social Studies, students with disabilities, education technology specialist, school building leader, and school district leader.
All these things, Bronstein said, reflect the new SMS principal’s “strong foundation in both instructional practice and school administration.”
“We look forward to Mr. Brennan joining our team,” the superintendent added.
EMPATHY, PATIENCE
Experts say that leading at the middle school level requires a well of empathy and patience.
Brennan finds being a middle school principal rewarding because it gives him the chance to mentor students through a critical stage in their development -- when they are dealing with rapid physical and social-emotional changes – and, with the help of teachers, staff, and parents, to build a supportive, inclusive community.
He also appreciates watching young adolescents discover their own identities.
The middle school level may have its own unique challenges but to Brennan, they’re ones that he’s not only well-prepared for, but eager to tackle.
“I am dedicated to always trying to do what’s best for kids, being transparent, and building on relationships with staff and community,” he told Halston Media.
Of his appointment as SMS principal, Brennan felt “honored, quite frankly.”
That’s due, he said, to the district’s “commitment to creating global citizens, installing 21st century knowledge and skills, and building upon the tremendous traditions that are already in place.”
Brennan was drawn to Somers because of its reputation for being a “super active and supportive community.”
“I’m just excited to get started,” he said.
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