Heather Galante Appointed as Bedford High School’s Next Principal

Submitted by Jon Sills, Superintendent of the Bedford School Department

It is with great pleasure that I announce the appointment of Heather Galante as Bedford High School’s next principal, pending the drafting of a mutually agreed upon employment contract. Heather’s nine years as a building administrator have seasoned her leadership skills, temperament and judgment in powerful ways, have provided her with a plethora of experiences to draw upon, and promise to bring to Bedford a collaborative leadership approach that will enable her to build upon the important work in which BHS teachers and administrators have long been engaged. Her commitment to developing independent, critical and creative thinkers who find joy in learning and take responsibility in an ever shrinking world strongly align with the district’s values. Her past experience as both an AP teacher and a teacher of heterogeneous classes calls forth her commitment to all learners, to ensure that instruction is rigorous, engaging and student-centered at every level, and that the underdog, in his or her many manifestations, has a strong champion in the building principal.

As a leader, she has proven herself a consensus builder who can make difficult decisions, a genuine listener who believes that her colleagues’ opinions are important, an initiator who solves problems, and an empowerer who builds the capacity of her faculty and fellow administrators.  Heather’s strong endorsement from her leadership team, her unwavering belief in teachers, her compelling connections to students, and her partnering approach with parents shone with particular brightness during our site visit. Her energy and enthusiasm are infectious and will contribute to the cohesion that the principal, as symbolic as well as actual leader, is charged to create in a complex organization comprised of many, varied constituencies.

Heather earned her undergraduate degree in psychology from Stonehill College and her Master of Education from Harvard University. She completed graduate coursework in administration at Boston University.  Prior to assuming an administrative role at Chelmsford High School, she taught social studies at Arlington High School and was a counselor/teacher at Minuteman Regional High School.

While protracted, the filling of this critical position has required a thorough process that has included initial interviews, in-district sessions with students, parents, teachers and administrators, extensive site visits and intensive final interviews. Once again, thanks to all of you who participated in this process, attending the public interviews, viewing the videos and taking the surveys. While Heather has big shoes to fill left by our departing Dr. Turner, we are absolutely confident that she is the right person for the job.