Charter school welcomes new leader
By Caitlyn Kelleher

The second principal of the North Central Charter Essential School is ready to the take the helm.

Dr. Margaret DeRoo said she wants to help expand and plan the curriculum as she takes the resigns from retired principal Melanie Gallo. The charter school's Executive Director Peter Garbus and the school's Board of Directorsa hired DeRoo, who took over the position on Aug. 1.

"I thought there was something that I could bring to the next phase of development," DeRoo said.

North Central Charter Essential is starting its fifth year in Fitchburg. The school's population includes students from 30 cities and towns in north central part of the state.

DeRoo said she is interested in taking the strong foundation the school has developed since its start and developing the curriculum and instructional methods throughout the school.

"They are very eager to develop the academics to another level," DeRoo said. "It is a school that shares the beliefs that I do with education."

She moved to the area from Atlanta, Georgia. She has a doctorate in educational leadership and comes to NCCES after serving as principal or chief administrative director at several private and public schools.

In these roles she developed curriculum programs at many levels including individual schools as well as school districts, she said.

DeRoo has taught English in middle and secondary schools, worked as an educational consultant and was an accountant for 15 years before becoming an educator.

"Melanie Gallo helped get this school off the ground," Garbus said. "Margaret DeRoo, our new principal, will help put this school on the map. She cares about kids and about learning."

Garbus said after 34 years in public education Gallo, of Ashburnham, had earned "some rest and relation."

Garbus said the school, which graduated its first class in June, has many strengths but like everything has room to improve.

"We were very interested in her prior leadership," Garbus said. "Her prior essential school experience and her prior teaching experience was important. From meeting her and from her references Dr. DeRoo is going to take this school in the direction we want to go."

-  - Caitlyn Kelleher can be reached at (978) 827-3386, ext. 15, or e-mail: caitlynkelleher@aol.com