Michael Seal Named as Mansfield’s Director of Teaching and Learning
Mansfield, CT March 11, 2022 – Superintendent Kelly Lyman announced to staff and families this week that she is naming Michael R. Seal as Director of Teaching and Learning, effective July 1, 2022. Mike has served as Principal at Annie E. Vinton Elementary School since 2016, and has been a key member of Superintendent Lyman’s administrative leadership team.
The new position was approved by the Board of Education as part of the district’s transition plan and the 2022-23 proposed budget. In a letter to parents, Superintendent Lyman says, “We are proud of the work we have done in our schools to educate students to be prepared for the challenges and opportunities they will encounter both in future schooling and in the world at large. This work has included defining learning outcomes, changing our instructional practices to give more responsibility to students, and finding multiple ways to support all learners. To ensure this work continues to grow and develop, we are adding a Director of Teaching and Learning to our administrative team.”
In his new role, Mr. Seal will work closely with school administration and the superintendent to ensure that the district’s teaching work is aligned to the Board of Education’s strategic plan and the district’s Core Beliefs. According to Superintendent Lyman, this newly established role includes providing vision and oversight in the ongoing implementation, development, direction, review, and evaluation of the district’s curriculum and instructional practices.
Mr. Seal has 26 years of teaching and administrative experience in Connecticut, New York, and California. His experience includes serving five years as principal in South Windsor at Pleasant Valley Elementary School before moving to San Diego, California in 2012. There, Mike became the director of Explorer Elementary Charter School, a High Tech High School. He was given the task to bring the school’s learning into the 21st century emphasizing social and emotional learning, core academic content, critical and creative thinking, collaboration, communication, and innovation. Mike also worked as Assistant Director and later Interim Director of Urban Discovery Academy (UDA), a K-8 public charter school in San Diego.
Mike Seal graduated from the University of Rhode Island with a Bachelors of Arts in English, earned a Masters’ Degree in teaching elementary education from Rhode Island College, and received his Executive Leadership Program Certificate from the University of Connecticut. He was also a founding member of The School at Columbia University, and taught grade 5 at Willington’s Hall Memorial Middle School.
Superintendent Lyman acknowledged that she chose Mike Seal in consultation with incoming Superintendent Peter Dart, who will take over the top role in the district from Ms Lyman effective July 1.
“For those of you who know of Mr. Seal’s work,” says Superintendent Lyman, “you know that he is devoted to building positive school culture, is committed to student-centered learning, developing the whole child, and cultivating teaching methods that encourage risk-taking. Families from Vinton Elementary School who have experienced his leadership know that Mike is focused on supporting students’ personal success.”
She adds, “We are fortunate to have such an experienced administrator step into this new role. I am confident he will be a strong advocate for students and staff and lead Mansfield’s exceptional teaching and learning practices to the next level.”