Press Release

The Westport Board of Education is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Parthena Penny Proskinitopoulos as an Assistant Principal at Staples High School, effective July 1, 2021. 

Dr. Proskinitopoulos is seen as a talented educator who has excelled in the area of school leadership. Her career as an educator began in 2006 as a social studies teacher with the Fairfield Public Schools. Dr. Proskinitopoulos continued in that role until 2014 when she assumed the role of Technology Integration Specialist. This past year she served as an Interim Assistant Principal at Roger Ludlowe Middle School.

As an educator who embodies the belief in a growth mindset, Dr. Proskinitopoulos is seen as a true leader who inspires the best from those around her. Her work in providing professional development for teachers and fellow administrators has always been a focus of her work. While these efforts have proven invaluable over her career, they have been particularly recognized as critical to the success her colleagues have had in navigating the difficulties of teaching and leading during the Covid-19 pandemic. Ultimately the needs of students are at the heart of her work, and Dr. Proskinitopoulos’s commitment to children will serve as an asset to the Staples High School community.

Dr. Proskinitopoulos holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from St. John’s University and both a Masters of Arts in Teaching and Sixth Year Diploma in Educational Leadership from Sacred Heart University. In addition, she has a Doctorate of Educational Leadership from the University of Bridgeport.

A colleague of Dr. Proskinitopoulos shared, “Simply put, she is one of the finest educators I know. This is because she is smart, passionate about learning and instructional improvement, eager to collaborate, a consummate problem solver, committed to her work, and genuinely thoughtful and kind.” Another colleague wrote, “She ranks in the top tier of educators that I have had the pleasure to work with in my career in education. I know that she can make a significant impact at the high school level in an administrative role.” These comments are echoed by Stafford Thomas, Principal of Staples High School who noted, “Penny was the standout candidate out of a very large and talented administrator pool this year.  She is absolutely thrilled to be joining our team at Staples and I am excited that her arrival will coincide with our team’s summer efforts to create an exciting and fulfilling 2021-2022 school year for our Wreckers!”