Assistant Executive Director Jill Hale (right) presents the William Cieslukowski
First-Year Principal Award to Dina Senecal at the Somers Board of Education
Meeting on May 28, 2019.

Each year, the Connecticut Association of Schools honors outstanding first year principals – one at each level – with the William Cieslukowski First-Year Principal Award. CAS is pleased to announce that this year’s winner at the elementary level is Mrs. Dina Senecal, principal of Somers Elementary School. Nominated by her assistant principal, Melissa Mucci, Mrs. Senecal embodies the school’s mission “…to provide a quality education through shared responsibility in a safe supportive environment for all students to meet the challenges of a global society.”

In her nomination, Ms. Mucci wrote that a school administrator “is an instructional leader with strong ethics, a dynamic personality, and an unyielding commitment to students, staff, and families.” She went on to explain that Mrs. Senecal “embodies these characteristics.” Leading a school of over 700 students from preschool through grade five carries with it its own set of challenges for which Mrs. Senecal is consistently organized and prepared. Her understanding of data and her ability to share the findings of the data with ease and patience help those who work directly with the students to fully understand the impact of their work. In addition, Mrs. Senecal demonstrates the ability to successfully manage the day-to-day issues while creating a “whole school” approach to learning. It is evident that Mrs. Senecal invigorates and appreciates those who work closest to the students: the teachers, paras, tutors, and service providers. We, at the Connecticut Association of Schools, are delighted to recognize her work as a beginning building leader!

Congratulations to Dina Senecal on this honor and for an impressive beginning to her principalship. Her efforts and results after one year are remarkable. We look forward to her continued success and leadership.

By Jill Hale, Assistant Executive Director