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“Dr. Pierson is an experienced and accomplished educator and school leader,” the board said in a statement Wednesday. “She brings to our school system tremendous knowledge and experience in special education and school administration from her more than 40-year career.”
Pierson began her career as special education teacher, and eventually rose to director of special services in the Evanston and Skokie, Ill., school district, where she oversaw that district’s special education programs.
She was also an assistant superintendent in Windsor before serving as superintendent in two school districts: Wethersfield from 1995 to 2002, and Weston from 2002 until her retirement in 2007. Since then she has done work with the Abu Dhabi Education Council of the United Arab Emirates.
“The board is grateful to Dr. Pierson for her willingness to lead the Darien Public Schools and for her enthusiasm and passion for improving educational outcomes for all children,” the school board said in its statement.
Pierson takes over for Timothy Canty, who has been acting superintendent since the resignation of Stephen Falcone on Oct. 22. Canty will return to his post as assistant superintendent for Secondary Education. The school board thanked Canty for “his dedication, professionalism and leadership during this school year.”
Pierson will officially start Nov. 19.
Falcone had been a district employee for 16 years and its superintendent since 2010. He and district administrators had faced criticism recently, as a state investigation found that Darien’s special education program had not followed proper procedures as mandated by law. State and district investigations are still ongoing into the matter.
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