Renaissance Administration

Principal - Arria Coburn

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 coburna@springfieldpublicschools.com

I am married to a wonderful and supporting husband, Leslie Coburn. We have two beautiful children, Avery and Zoey Coburn. I attended Northeastern University for undergrad and American International College for graduate school.

I have been involved in education for over 12 years. I am a graduate of Springfield Public Schools and am proud to be the second Principal of the Springfield Renaissance School. Before my role as a principal, I worked as a Special Education teacher for six years and then moved into an Assistant Principal role at John J. Duggan Academy. 

Favorite Quote: The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. –Martin Luther King, JR

Read my blog at Wordpress

Acting Assistant Principal, Grades 6 & 7 - Derek Wright

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wrightd@springfieldpublicschools.com

I started at Renaissance in October of 2012 as a student teacher during my junior year at Springfield College, upon graduation in 2014, I was hired full-time at Renaissance as the Algebra 2 teacher. Recently, I was proudly promoted to the Assistant Principal, where I handle tasks such as scheduling and grading, etc.
 
I discovered my passion for math and logistics when I was in high school, which was located in Enfield, CT, which I’ve had the pleasure of calling my home since birth. In my free time I like sports and spending quality time with family and my pug, Gibbs. I look forward to watching all the students succeed and achieve all their goals, while being here for them every step of the way! 

Assistant Principal, Grades 8 & 9 - Dan Pear

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peard@springfieldpublicschools.com

I have been a faculty member of The Springfield Renaissance School since its inception. As a founding educator here, I taught 6th, 8th, and 9th grade Mathematics prior to being hired as an Assistant Principal. During my time here, I have served as the head coach of the boys’ and girls’ varsity cross country teams and am presently serving as the Athletic Director liaison for our school. Prior to joining The Springfield Renaissance School, I taught in Weymouth, MA and Charlotte, NC. I am fortunate to be supported by my wife and two children.

 Assistant Principal, Grades 10,11 & 12 - JoAnna Cardwell

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grafton-cardwellj@springfieldpublicschools.com
My family is my pride and joy; I am married to my husband Patrick, and we have two beautiful little girls, Lucy and Maggie. We’ve lived in Western Mass for five years, during which I have taught Math in Springfield Public Schools and Patrick has studied and taught philosophy at UMass Amherst.
 
I graduated from Biola University in Southern California, and in 2017, I received a Master of Education from Endicott College. I’ve taught in various capacities for ten years, and I am excited to support the students, teachers, and families at Renaissance as Assistant Principal. It is important to me that the people around me feel empowered and lifted up, so I aspire to be a positive force of encouragement and support. I enjoy reading, walking, hiking, weight lifting, and rock climbing, and my faith is an important part of my life—it grounds me in the truth that we are all valuable, lovable, and capable creatures, and we should work together to help one another achieve our goals, both individually and as a community.
 
Being a mom has taught me patience, unconditional love, and that it’s okay to make mistakes. Being a teacher has taught me to be aware of others’ perspectives and learn their stories. Together, these roles impel me to always be a learner, to have compassion and empathy for those around me, and to be an encourager—in the midst of both triumph and struggle. Together, we will rise!