#MiddletownRI native Gerald Haas is the new principal at Gaudet Middle School. Most recently a math teacher at Middletown High, Haas spoke with pride and energy about taking over the top job at Gaudet and helping provide an excellent education.
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CONTACT: Matt Sheley at (401) 842-6543 or msheley@middletownri.com
HAAS NAMED NEW PRINCIPAL OF GAUDET MIDDLE SCHOOL
MIDDLETOWN, R.I. (AUGUST 2, 2024) – Gerald Haas is the new principal of Gaudet Middle School.
Most recently a mathematics teacher at Middletown High School, Haas said he was excited to lead the Aquidneck Avenue middle school, bringing stability and positive energy along with a mix of new ideas and perspectives.
A Middletown High graduate with the Class of 2013, Haas takes over the top job at Gaudet from William Niemeyer, who was named as the new superintendent of Middletown schools in April.
Haas and other educators said they’re working hard to guarantee a smooth opening of school on Sept. 3, trying to make it the best in recent memory.
“Entering this role is honestly a dream come true for me and I am very eager to get started,” Haas said. “I am a graduate of Middletown Public Schools and truly had a great school experience from kindergarten all the way through graduation. There are so many Middletown teachers who had a positive impact on my life.
“I knew from the time I was a student at Middletown High School that I wanted to become a teacher and then eventually a principal in Middletown. I have always felt the best way to give back to the community was to help provide the same great school experience to the Middletown students who came after me.”
Asked what he’s most looking forward to as principal at Gaudet, Haas said the answer was easy.
“I am most excited to collaborate with the students, teachers, and parents-guardians at Gaudet to help provide our students with the best educational experience possible,” Haas said. “This is an amazing school community that I consider myself very fortunate to join as principal.”
Among students and colleagues, Haas is a well liked, respected educator at the Valley Road school for a number of years. He is the husband of Stefanie Haas.
Known for being an extremely accessible teacher, Haas was complimented by other educators for working hard to make sure every student was successful and had strong supports.
In addition to his knack for taking complicated mathematics problems in a way that everyone can understand, colleagues said Haas has been a growing fixture around the building — including serving as assistant coach of the school’s golf team.
He said he believed those qualities — and more — would translate well in a leadership role at Gaudet, the first time he’s been a building principal.
“I would say that entering this role directly from being a classroom teacher will prove to be very helpful,” Haas said. “In my opinion, the classroom has changed drastically over the past few years, most notably due to the COVID pandemic. I have firsthand experience of what it is like to be a teacher in 2024, which will prove to be invaluable as I collaborate with the faculty at Gaudet. Additionally, my master’s program in School Leadership at Providence College offered many great hands-on learning experiences that will be very helpful as I enter the role of principal.”
Niemeyer agreed, saying Haas meshed perfectly with the new direction and aims for the schools envisioned by the School Committee and carried out by every Middletown educator.
“When we spoke to Jerry, it was clear that he was our top choice to lead Gaudet,” Niemeyer said. “His positive energy and enthusiasm were so real and we want that to permeate through our entire district. School is a place that students come to learn, but there’s no reason they can’t have fun doing it at the same time.”
Like many associated with the Middletown school system, Haas said everything was pointing in the right direction. Whether it was the pending construction of the new middle-high school to the positive momentum in the district, Haas said things were looking up in Middletown.
“The future is very bright both for Gaudet Middle School and the Middletown school system as a whole,” Haas said. “I am very excited about the new middle-high school on the horizon and the opportunities that will present for our community. I believe this new school environment will help provide an even stronger educational experience for our students. This is a very exciting time for the Middletown school system, and I can’t wait to see what the future has in store.”
Middletown High Principal Donna Sweet was happy for Haas and said she was looking forward to working with him on another level.
“I’m excited to see the work we will be doing together as we streamline the grade 6-12 student experience,” Sweet said. “Jerry is so thoughtful and cares deeply about student success and is very rooted in data to get positive outcomes.”
The aim, Niemeyer said, was to help elevate the entire district one student at a time and build Middletown Pride each day at Gaudet — and across the community.
“I know we’re all really looking forward to seeing what Jerry brings to Gaudet,” Niemeyer said. “It’s a great school with a wonderful spirit and grit, a place where our educators work hard every day to make sure our sixth through eighth graders get what they need and are prepared for the next chapter in their lives.
“We hear it said a lot, but our schools are one of the foundations of any quality community. That’s something we take very seriously here and we want to make sure everyone is proud of what’s happening in our schools, whether it’s in our classrooms, on our athletic fields, in our performing spaces and in Middletown itself.”
Document Link: https://mdl.town/NYCU-Haas