MONTAGUE – Shawn Rickan has started as the new principal of Turners Falls High School and Great Falls Middle School as the school year begins for the Gill-Montague Regional School District (GMRSD).

During a School Committee meeting on Tuesday, GMRSD Superintendent Brian Beck said Rickan started on Aug. 19. Rickan comes into this position following former principal Christopher Barnes’ departure in June. Rickan was the assistant principal and athletic director at Ralph C. Mahar Regional School in Orange from 2000 to 2005. He was the high school principal at Narragansett Regional High School in Baldwinsville until 2015, when he became the Franklin County Tech School principal before leaving for the Paxton Center School.

As previously reported by the Recorder, Rickan is an Athol High School graduate and holds a bachelors of science in physical education, sports medicine and athletic training and a masters in educational leadership and management.

“It was an opportunity for me to get back into the high school, and I didn’t hesitate,” Rickan said. “I immediately applied for the job as soon as it came up.”

Rickan has only a few days under his belt as the new principal, but said he feels welcomed by the community.

“The people that I have met are very caring people, and they love Great Falls Middle School, and they love Turners Falls High School,” Rickan said. “[People] are super into what’s going on here, so I just want to be part of it.”

Rickan had the opportunity to introduce himself to the community last Thursday night during an orientation for students and families. He spoke of his prior experience as a principal and his passion for education. He said to families, “This is my life’s work, this is my vocation,” and described himself as a reasonable, logical and easy person to get along with.

In describing the leadership he hopes to bring to the district, he emphasized the importance of collaboration and communication as an administrator.

“I come from the ilk of everything can be worked out as long as we’re communicating well, we’re collaborative and we’re good listeners,” Rickan said. “So I want to just get involved and develop a really good team, and work with the kids that are coming into the building [as well as] the families.”

Rickan will be joined by other new administrators within the district, including Hillcrest Elementary School Interim Principal Mackensey Bailey, Assistant Principal at Sheffield Elementary School Kristin Dietz, Athletic Director Jen Luciano for Great Falls Middle and Turners Falls High schools, and Director of Teaching and Learning Heather Maynard.

School year updates

During the School Committee meeting on Aug. 20, new plans were voted on and approved ahead of the start of the school year.

A collective bargaining agreement between the Gill-Montague Cafeteria Site Supervisors and Assistants UFCW Local 1459 Union and the School Committee was approved. The agreement includes a pay increase for all cafeteria staff.

The committee also unanimously voted to approve an increase in substitute rates. Administrative assistant, instructional assistant, café and custodial substitutes will now be paid at a rate of $16 per hour, long-term teaching substitutes with teaching certification will now receive $170 per day and non-certified long-term teaching substitutes will receive $130 per day.

Beck presented the three-year GMRSD district goals, informed by research presented during the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Instructional Leadership Institute. These goals were developed during an administrative retreat over the summer from parent surveys and data provided to the district.

Improved curriculum, student support, community engagement and program development were all goals presented and approved by the committee. These goals will inform policies within each school.

Updates to student and family handbooks, information on breakfast and lunch service and a list of important dates for the school year were also provided during the meeting.

Faculty returned to the schools on Monday, and students in first through 12th grade start Thursday, Aug. 29.

Erin-Leigh Hoffman can be reached at ehoffman@recorder.com or 413-930-4231.