Elizabeth (Betty) Taylor will serve as interim principal at West Middle School for the remainder of the year after Tim Corkery retires on Dec. 31, Superintendent Magda Parvey said in a note to the school community Friday.
Taylor, who has 40 years experience in education, served interim principal at Andover High School during the 2023-24 school year. She was principal of Beverly High School for eight years before retiring.
“As an experienced principal, Ms. Taylor has led several robust initiatives including NEASC accreditations, new school construction projects and renovations, a one-to-one laptop program, whole school curriculum revision, the implementation of a freshman academy, and co-teaching teams,” Parvey said in her note to West Middle staff and families. “Ms. Taylor is excited for the opportunity to return to Andover and support the West Middle School community for the remainder of this year.”
Corkery announced his retirement last month, saying it was time to “take a really big break. Corkery’s note did not address why he was not waiting until the end of the school year in June to retire. He said he would work closely with the interim principal to ensure a smooth transition.
“We thank Mr. Corkery for his unwavering dedication and steadfast leadership,” Parvey said. “Under his tenure, West Middle School achieved National Blue Ribbon status for being an exemplary, high-performing school.’
Officials have been warning of a “looming mass exodus of principals” from the nation’s schools for the past five years. A study by the National Association of Secondary School Principals and the Learning Policy Institute attributed the high rate of turnover to several factors, including inadequate preparation and professional development, poor working conditions, low pay, a lack of decision-making authority, and high-stakes accountability policies.
Andover has not been immune to the exodus, although it has fared better than many other districts. When three of the district’s 10 principals left last year, for example, the 70 percent retention rate was still higher than state average of 66.7 percent. In fact, Andover’s principal retention rate has exceeded state averages in all but one of the past five years.