79°
Baker will succeed Anthony Ditrio, who retired at the end of the last school year. She joins from New Haven Public Schools, where she has worked since 2002 in positions of increasing responsibility. Her accomplishments in New Haven resulted in her selection as New Haven’s Public School Teacher of the Year in 2010. She was awarded the NAACP Freedom Fund Educator award in 2011.
In 2013, Baker completed New Haven’s Residency Program for School Leadership, a program designed to develop the next generation of school leaders. Her rotation in the program, which culminated in her certification as an intermediate administrator, included experience as an administrative intern at the Clinton Avenue School, as well as positions as resident principal of both Brennan-Rogers School of Communications and Media, and Elm City College Preparatory Middle School.
Most recently, Baker has been serving as principal of James Hillhouse High School, where she has facilitated the development of action plans to raise the graduation rate by 6 percent from the previous year. From 2006 to 2012, she served as a social studies teacher at Cooperative Arts and Humanities High School, where she taught college prep and honors classes. During this period, she also served as a member of the state appointed Board of Directors for New Haven’s Highville Charter School, a public pre-kindergarten through eighth grade charter school.
She began her New Haven career as a theater instructor at Cooperative Arts and Humanities, where 100 percent of the students performed in one or more productions. Baker earned a master of science in education from the University of New Haven. She holds a bachelor of science in sociology from Southern Connecticut State University.
Baker met Board of Education members on July 5 during an executive session. She will be formally appointed at the Board Of Education’s next scheduled meeting on Aug. 16.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Norwalk and receive free news updates.
