RSD17 Welcomes New Middle School Principal

RSD17 is pleased to announce the appointment of Dorothy Ventura to the position of Principal at Haddam Killingworth Middle School.

Mrs. Ventura brings a wealth of education and leadership experience to RSD17. Since 2015 she served as the Principal of Oxford High School, and in 2021 she became the Director of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment for Oxford Public Schools. In these roles, she brought more college credit-bearing courses, career pathways, and internship opportunities to students. Under her leadership, the SAT and Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) scores showed growth while chronic absenteeism declined.

Prior to her work in Oxford, Mrs. Ventura was the Principal and Headmaster at Windham High School where she spearheaded the implementation of academies within the high school and introduced new programming to close the achievement gap. Mrs. Ventura also spent numerous years as a math teacher.

"Dorothy has a long and successful track record as a building principal and a middle school math teacher,” said RSD17 Superintendent Jeffrey Wihbey. “We had a rigorous selection process that included parents, teachers, leaders, and our students. We are very confident that HKMS will thrive under her leadership.”

Mrs. Ventura completed the Superintendent of Schools certification program, earned her Sixth-year Certificate in Educational Leadership, and a B.S. in Education and Mathematics from Central Connecticut State University. She also completed an M.S. in Educational Technology from Eastern Connecticut State University.

“I am thrilled to be part of an academic community that is focused on student experiences and opportunities, as well as building capital among their faculty and staff,” said Mrs. Ventura. “My fondest memories of my career in education are the times I spent teaching middle school math. To be offered the opportunity to lead and collaborate in a middle school setting is humbling and a responsibility I take very seriously.”

Please join us in welcoming Mrs. Ventura to our community!