Meet Potter’s newest principal: Melissa McHenry

What is your background prior to becoming principal at Potter Elementary School?

I came five years ago to Potter School as the assistant principal. I worked under Rick Porter, who just retired. … Then, when a position became available because he was retiring, I certainly went for it and was very excited to increase my leadership here at the building and I was lucky enough to get it.

Prior to coming to Potter, I was the early childhood director for five years at the Cushman School in Dartmouth. Then before that, I was the assistant principal at the Quinn School, where I started my years in Dartmouth as a second grade teacher. So I’ve been in Dartmouth for I believe over 20 years.

So I’ve been around for a while and I’m excited to expand my leadership here at Potter. I love the Potter School. We call it our “Happy Place,” and I certainly want to continue the legacy that Mr. Porter and [former principal Heidi Silva Brooks] started here and sort of enhance that and look at how [the new assistant principal Benjamin Grande] and I can make it even better.

How would you describe your leadership style?

I’m very collaborative and I enjoy my day-to-day interactions with staff and always look forward to that open communication with staff and students. I know there’s that old fashion saying, “You have an open door policy,” but I really do. I look for staff feedback when making a decision and, of course, you take all of that in and you make the decision as a whole for your school.

I started as a classroom teacher, so I honor that role and really respect those who work closely with students and want to continue to have that mindset as a classroom teacher. I communicate a lot. I like to keep everybody in the loop and that includes families as well. I think when you provide open and honest communication often to your staff, your students, to your families — that helps build the relationships that support an effective school.

What are your goals as principal?

That’s based on the district improvement plan. So I set goals that center around, obviously, academics — primarily with the implementation of the [Core Knowledge Language Arts] Program. But there’s also other things that I’m hoping to accomplish here, which is expanding on parent volunteers here at the building. I’m hoping to establish a fifth grade leadership program for our students. … I want to provide them with opportunities to take some things on at the school, whether it’s community service programs or things that they do around the building to help gain those leadership skills as they enter the middle school. That’s a big part of my school improvement plan. Also, expanding the collaboration between our classroom teachers and our other staff, which includes our interventionists, our coaches — so that there’s more communication related to how students are doing and ways we can support our students.

What’s your favorite Potter School memory?

Oh gosh — there’s so many! I think it’s all about when Potter comes together. And I know no one wants to talk about Covid because that wasn’t a fun time and certainly a happy memory, but I came in to Potter during the Covid years and what struck me so much and what made me want to be a part of this wonderful community is how everybody came together to support each other. I mean back at that time, we had students that had to take five days or 10 days off at a time because they were close contact or they had Covid themselves. Everyone came together — would cover a recess, would cover a lunch shift — just so everyone felt supported. 

We have fun runs every year and it's a fundraiser, but it’s so much more than that. It’s an opportunity for the whole school to get together. Yes, it’s a race and the kids are running around, but it’s more about bringing up all together — no matter what your role is. 

I’ve had a lot of fun memories with Mr. Porter, from spending a day on the roof to being covered in slime — some fun things like that. But I think just the day-to-day interactions with kids, too. We have these “Catch Me at My Best” clips and they can come take a prize in our office and those mornings I just love because you get to see the kids and they’re so excited because they heard their name over the intercom and they’re just so so excited to come down.

Can you tell me a bit about who you are outside of school?

I am a mother and a wife. My husband is Matt and I have two children: Kelsey and Matthew. My daughter is 26 and my son is 22. They attended the Dartmouth Public Schools along with me when I was a teacher over at the Quinn School. I currently live in Westford, but I’m originally from Fall River. I was born and raised in Fall River. 

I love to shop, which is a problem, but it is something I love to do. I love to cook. Those are sort of my hobbies outside of school. I love to be outside in my pool or at the beach and taking our family every year to Cape Cod, where we rent a house and my brother from Pennsylvania comes down with all of his children. 

Anything else you’d like to share?

Just how excited I am and just ready to get the school year going. I’m sure the kids don’t want to hear this, but I wish it was the first day of school tomorrow. I’m ready to get the year going and I’m excited to work with the staff and students again. It’s been too quiet here this summer — getting lonely over here. I’m just ready to get the year rolling.