Worthington Hooker School Principal Margaret-Mary Gethings plans to retire from her New Haven Public Schools (NHPS) job at the end of the school year in order to take the helm at Sacred Heart Academy. Gethings’ upcoming retirement was announced Monday at the latest regular Board of Education m eeting at King/Robinson School — marking the third planned departure of a current NHPS schools administrator so far this year. The school board does not vote on information-only personnel reports which include retirements. Nevertheless, school board members briefly thanked retirees like Gethings for their decades of service to the district. Over the years Gethings has held roles such as teacher, staff developer, instructional coach, assistant principal, and principal. “I have been able to help students and teachers rediscover the joy of teaching and learning, and I am proud of the environments of trust, belonging, and authenticity that we built together,” Gethings told the Independent in an email comment. She cited recent successes with the K-8 school’s PTA in creating a school‑year calendar filled with monthly events like board game nights, cultural and heritage celebrations, and family gatherings. Before joining NHPS, Gethings worked as a teacher in Stamford Public Schools for seven years. She received a Teacher of the Year Award in 1995. She also spent five years as a principal at Sliney School in Branford. “I remain honored and humbled to have served as principal in both Fair Haven School and Worthington Hooker School, two extraordinary communities that shaped me as much as I hope I shaped them,” she added. In July 2026, Gethings will step into a new chapter as the first lay principal at Sacred Heart Academy, her alma mater. “This opportunity feels both full‑circle and deeply meaningful, and I am eager to bring my experience, values, and passion for community to a place that helped shape my own journey,” she said. When asked why she’s retiring from NHPS this year, Gethings said “because Worthington Hooker is a strong, stable place, and I have fulfilled everything that I spoke about and planned for in my entry plan in 2019. After many fulfilling years of service, this transition feels natural and aligned with both personal and professional timing.” During Monday’s school board meeting, Karlen Meinsen, who has been a building sub at Hooker for the past three years, was one of two speakers during public comment to congratulate Gethings on her retirement and thank her for her decades of service. Meinsen described Gethings as having a strong moral compass. She added Gethings empowered the school’s student council, worked with the school’s PTA to get a new field installed with raised garden beds, attended students’ sports events, and visited them while sick in the hospital. “This district has truly been blessed to have the many and varied contributions of this incredible educator,” Meissen said. “She will truly be missed.” Hooker PTA President Sophia LaFargue also expressed gratitude for Gethings’ leadership. “Both of my daughters feel that they are individually seen by her,” she said. She noted that she has also had an exemplary partnership with the school’s PTA and makes not just students feel special, but staff as well. “She was principal when my son was a student at Worthington Hooker and she was instrumental in making him feel a part of the community there too,” Board of Education member Daniel Jaurez said about Gethings. Gethings pointed the Independent to Hooker’s 2026 ranking as #100 elementary school in Connecticut, #18 in Connecticut middle schools, and #1 in New Haven school district elementary and middle schools. NHPS Supt. Madeline Negrón thanked Gethings and several other staff on the retirement list Monday, Lori Esposito, who worked as a paraeducator for 30 years; Diane Guz, who worked as a special education paraeducator for 27 years; and Carl Carangelo, who worked as NHPS’ chief auditor for 25 years. Celentano School 5-8th graders perform a Black History Month song lineup, including “songs like “Lift Every Voice” and “Wade in the Water,” at Monday’s meeting. The post Hooker Principal To Retire appeared first on New Haven Independent. ...read more read less