The Mansfield Public Schools Board of Education has announced that it has voted to select Candace Morell as the next Mansfield Public Schools Superintendent. Mrs. Morell, who serves as the district’s Director of Teaching and Learning, will succeed Peter Dart effective July 1, 2025 upon his retirement.
“Candace’s leadership and commitment to our district is exemplary,” says Kathy Ward, Chair of the Mansfield Board of Education which served as the Search Committee. “As a Board of Education, we have seen the progress and innovation that Candace has brought to our district with her student-centered approach to teaching and learning. She has earned the respect of the leadership team and families. The Board believes she is absolutely the right candidate to continue fulfilling our district’s vision for excellence, and dedication to our Core Beliefs”
Candace started her professional journey in Mansfield in 1999 as a Reading and Science teacher at Mansfield Middle School. Passionate about science education, she collaborated with colleagues to develop engaging authentic learning experiences for all students that included science studies on the school campus as well as overnight excursions to Nature’s Classroom and the Worcester Ecotarium.
Candace believes in the importance of relevant real world experiences for all students. In her role as teacher and administrator, she has facilitated and supported numerous afterschool and extended year clubs/activities that have allowed students to explore new interests and develop important skills such as the ability to collaborate and communicate effectively with others and persevere when faced with challenges. Candace believes firmly that each and every student should have access to a breadth of learning experiences in which they “begin to see their future selves”.
In 2005, Candace moved from the classroom to the role of Assistant Principal at MMS. In 2009 the Connecticut Association of Schools named her as Assistant Principal of the Year, and she was also recognized as a National Educational Leadership Policy Fellow. In 2014 Mrs. Morell was selected as Principal at Mansfield Middle School where she implemented innovative approaches to teaching and learning that improved student engagement and achievement levels. With Candace’s leadership, The U.S. News & World Report recently ranked Mansfield Middle School as 20th among 557 Connecticut middle schools.
In 2022, the district established the administrative position of Director of Teaching and Learning, and Candace became a key member of Superintendent Dart’s leadership team. In this new role, Candace spearheaded programs formalizing the district's commitment to Growing Educators. Collaborating with the Teacher Leader Team, she guided the district’s focus on improving the elementary progress report for better family understanding of student mastery and progress, and established a structure for curriculum development and alignment PreK to Grade 8. In support of building leaders and teachers, her leadership has driven the implementation of new literacy programming PreK to grade 5, and Student-Led Conversations and Celebrations, student portfolios work across the district.
Mrs. Morell earned her Bachelor and Master of Science degrees as well as her Educational Leadership (UCAPP) from the University of Connecticut, and her Superintendent Certification from Central Connecticut State University.
“I am continually impressed with Candace’s ability to eloquently frame complex ideas in provocative, clear ways that supports and gives voice to our community and staff,” says Superintendent Peter Dart. “Through her skilled communications, she affects change in authentic meaningful ways. Candace possesses the collective knowledge of history and best practices while embracing our current focus and sense of urgency. Throughout her 26-year tenure as an Educator, Assistant Principal, Principal, and Director of Teaching and Learning in Mansfield, Candace has led by example by putting students at the center of her work,” he adds.
Mansfield Public Schools is a PreKindergarten to Grade 8 district includes PreK to Grade 4 at Mansfield Elementary School, the first new net-zero public school in Connecticut. Grades 5 to 8 students attend Mansfield Middle School. Mansfield is well known for excellence in student-centered, project-based learning.
The appointment was voted on at a Special Meeting of the Board of Education on May 21, and will move into contract negotiations. The Board of Education’s nationwide search was facilitated by Cooperative Educational Services (CES) of Trumbull, CT, who also assisted in the search resulting in Superintendent Lyman’s hiring in 2015 and Superintendent Dart in 2022. Mansfield’s comprehensive search process included input from the community, staff members, government leaders, students and families through an online survey and virtual focus groups, plus outreach to 9,000 educational leaders throughout the country and postings on education-related websites.
Superintendent Peter Dart is retiring from public school service effective June 30, 2025 after leading the Mansfield Public Schools district since 2022, and 38 years in public education.