Update: Southington's Thiery Named Region 17 Superintendent

Howard J. Thiery III, assistant superintendent for instruction and learning for the Southington school system, has been named superintendent of Region 17 schools.

Thiery will succeed departing Region 17 superintendent Gary Mala as the fifth superintendent in the 40-year history of the Haddam and Killingworth school district.

Mala, who lives in Killingworth, is leaving to become superintendent in Avon, and he spent his last day at work Tuesday after seven years as the district’s chief administrator.

When the Region 17 school board began its search for a new superintendent in January, the goal was “to find a true educational leader,” much as Mala has been, rather than a pure business manager, said Chairwoman Amy Jacques-Purdy.

Thiery, chosen from two finalists for the position, “has very obvious expertise in curriculum and instruction … He has significant and very exciting skills in those areas that can increase student achievement across the board,” she explained.

“He didn’t focus on test scores, but on the whole child, which impressed us,” she noted.

While Thiery focused on instruction in his duties in the Southington school system, he will assume responsibility for all of the superintendent’s duties in the smaller Region 17 school system. “He’ll do all of it here,” Jacques-Purdy said. “We felt comfortable that he has the whole package” to manage all of the district’s educational needs.

Thiery, assistant superintendent in Southington since 2007, served as interim superintendent in his first year there. He previously was principal of the Greater Hartford Academy of Math and Science, and his public teaching career dates to 1987, when he served as an instructor in human anatomy and physiology at the University of Connecticut.

He is the author of “Neuroscience Laboratory/Classroom Activities” for the National Association of Biology Teachers and Society for Neuroscience, and co-author of the “Human Anatomy and Physiology Lab Manual” at UConn.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from Marquette University, and completed a master’s degree in physiology and neurobiology as well as the executive leadership program at the University of Connecticut.

Jacques-Purdy also praised Thiery for his “very strong communication and interpersonal skills. Certainly, he has very big shoes to fill – we’ll miss Gary – but we’re very excited and fortunate to have found Howard.”

Thiery, who lives with his family in West Hartford, has signed a three-year agreement with Region 17 that will pay him $155,000 in the first year, Jacques-Purdy said. With Thiery expected to begin work April 1, Dr. John Sullivan will continue as interim superintendent in the district.