When Leaders Check Out to Check In: A Principal's Journey Through Tragedy to Triumph

What makes an award-winning elementary school? For Melissa Mucci, Principal of Somers Elementary School, it comes down to a powerful motto: "We're a family and we're a tree." This guiding philosophy has earned her school the Connecticut Association of Schools 2025 Elementary School of the Year award.

In this candid conversation, Melissa talks about how SES rebounded from a year of tragedy, in which it faced the unimaginable loss of three students and a staff member, to win the prestigious School of the Year award. When reflecting on her leadership journey, she describes how challenges from the previous school year ultimately strengthened the school community. 

Listen up and learn how a small Connecticut elementary school became a model of educational excellence through family bonds and deep roots.

Transcript

Welcome to Linking Leaders Podcast

Speaker 1 0:03

Hi and welcome to the Linking Leaders Podcast. Linking Leaders Podcast features candid conversations with top educational leaders who come together to share experiences and explore pathways to success. In each episode, we engage with dynamic leaders to uncover real-life stories, practical strategies and bold insights on timely and relevant topics. Listen up to Link Up and let us help you expand your network of innovation and support.

Dr. Alicia Bowman 0:36

Welcome to the Linking Leaders podcast. I am your host, Dr Alicia Bowman, and today I'll be talking with Melissa Mucci, Principal of Summers Elementary School, Connecticut Association of Schools 2025 Elementary School of the Year. Melissa, it's my pleasure to welcome you to the Linking Leaders podcast.

Melissa Mucci 0:55

Thank you, alicia, nice to be here, thanks.

Dr. Alicia Bowman 0:59

So let's start by providing some context for our listeners In a few sentences, Melissa, can you describe the Summers Elementary School community?

Summers Elementary School Community Profile

Melissa Mucci 1:08

Sure. So Summers is located in the most northern part of the state. We are a small town. We have an elementary school, a middle school and a high school right on the same little cul-de-sac. So it is really great that we're able to do cross-school activities we have in our elementary school. We're a pre-K-5 school. We have two pre-K classrooms, one's full day and the other is a half-day integrated peer role model classroom. And then we have in kindergarten through five. We have five or six sections at about 130 at our largest in grade three. So each one of those classrooms has their own teacher and then each grade level has a special education teacher and multiple staff that work amongst each one of those grade levels.

Dr. Alicia Bowman 1:56

Thank you. So the press release announcing the honor as Elementary School of the Year publicized your motto as we're a family and we're a tree. So what is the meaning behind this motto and what has been its observable impact?

Melissa Mucci 2:13

Oh, that's a big question, but the long and short of it is our motto is the way that we grow, it's the way that we learn and it's the way that we thrive together. So, if you think of a tree, we're growing from the roots up. Our foundation is solid and it really. This honor is such a testament to the hard work and dedication of not only Summers Public School District but Summers Elementary School family, and we are rooted in this motto. It's what we go by from PBIS. All of our PBIS is linked to the roots Summers Roots Rising, safe, respectful, responsible behavior. So it encompasses everything. We grow together and we're rooted in that. That really is the foundation of who we are Excellent.

Dr. Alicia Bowman 2:58

Thank you. So, when you reflect on this past year, what leadership are you most proud of and what has been its impact on the Summers Elementary School community?

Melissa Mucci 3:09

I had to think about this because there are so many things that we're shifting and doing each and every day. So I think, in terms of the leadership that I made over the course of this school year, based upon the tragedies we had last year in our school, Based upon the tragedies we had last year in our school, I really looked to sort of spread my wings and strengthening our staff through the empowerment of employing our staff to take risks, to show their skill, to hone their skill, bringing forth from last year in a time of unimaginable loss, through that empowerment of staff to help me. I'm one person and sometimes leaders have to rely on their staff to bring them through, and they really did. We came through together and overall staff engagement and student engagement has been on the uptick in terms of positivity and progress.

Dr. Alicia Bowman 4:06

Wonderful to hear you know sometimes, when our strength is tested, what can come out of those times. We can be stronger than we ever were before, and so I'm glad to hear that that is your experience for sure, and that the adults can model for students stepping up right. We often ask our students to take risks and try things.

Melissa Mucci 4:30

And sometimes, as adults, we're the last ones to do that. So wonderful, yeah, and I told the staff and I'll say this later on that you can't check in if you don't check out. So I think last year, just saying it's okay to check out because our kids need us to check in, it's easier said than done. For me, as a leader, that is something that needs to be done in order to survive. You have to show, as the leader, that you're vulnerable and your strength is tested too, in order for them to know that you are human right, absolutely.

Dr. Alicia Bowman 5:04

Sometimes it's hard for us as leaders to practice what we preach right. We want others to kind of step back, like you said, or check out, but then we're not doing it ourselves and once we see that it's okay and the beat goes on, then I think, like you said, we're more likely to continue to do it. And that vulnerability sometimes you know that comes with time and obviously after the relationship you've established as a principal, you know you have that ability to be more vulnerable with your staff. So that's wonderful. So summer's elementary is known, like we just said, for its school's proactive approach to social-emotional learning and it was described as seamlessly woven into the curriculum. If we popped into one of your classrooms, what might SEL woven into the curriculum look like or sound like?

Melissa Mucci 5:55

So when I think about this, I think about it in multiple settings, but I can give an example For me, one of the most important parts of your day is saying hello and saying goodbye and making sure that your hellos are meaningful and your goodbyes are meaningful. And as our curriculum becomes more intense, our instructional time is maximized, so relationships matter here. We're a family, we're a tree, and so for me, saying hello and saying goodbye is one of the most important things, and so through our morning meetings you will see students actively engaged, You'll see teachers modeling, listening, and I think you know, with that morning meeting that takes you through your day until you say goodbye, so you can have those oops moments during the day. You can know what to expect with your teacher, your teacher can know how to expect you coming in, and if you don't understand how your students come to school, that will be a detriment in terms of how you set them up to be successful in the day. Through our year last year we had multiple therapy dogs come in, from all over the country actually, and we have had one that the handler is Charlie and the dog's name is Sawyer. They stayed with us and they're still here. So for us.

Melissa Mucci 7:11

Charlie will bring Sawyer into a class meeting. You might see him in the class meeting just being that gentle guide and modeling of that behavior that Sawyer exhibits to our students. You know allows them to like pet. During that morning meeting. His calendar is filled. Both of their calendars are. The whole day is booked out. Yeah, but Charlie drives from Pomfret and we're you know if you know where Pomfret is? Yes, I did. Charlie and Sawyer drive here every Tuesday to be with us and they have not stopped since January of 2024. So for that we are extremely grateful. Just his presence alone in those morning meetings just sets the tone for our students in really in good times and in times that are difficult.

Dr. Alicia Bowman 7:56

Absolutely. That morning check-in connection, I mean it seems so simple, yet it's so powerful, right? And then having that consistency of just showing up, like Charlene Sawyer consistently showing up, and what that does for the Burke community.

Melissa Mucci 8:14

They came to our CAS award and we have them in the picture. They're on the stage with us. When we took our picture for CAS too.

Dr. Alicia Bowman 8:24

It's a wonderful lesson and it's wonderful for children to experience that, and adults really so. Could you share with us, Melissa, one leadership lesson you wish you had learned earlier in your career?

Melissa Mucci 8:37

Well, this is a loaded question too, alicia. So I've been principal here for five years. I was AP for three years and I had taught in the district since 2007. So I taught special ed in the building. I left and I came back. I went to another district to pursue leadership and then came back, which is a testament to the strength of what summers brings to me. I knew that I wanted to lead in summers.

Melissa Mucci 9:04

That said, those can also those relationships that you have as a teacher and the relationships that you now need to form as a leader can often be tricky. I think one of my lessons is that I am one person and I do not have the answers to every question that I'm asked, and so, for me, I became principal in July of 2020, which, if anyone knows what July of 2020 brought to us, we were in the depths of COVID, of COVID, so we shifted our whole entire. Every district had to shift their whole entire building, and we also had to ensure that staff felt comfortable, which meant that I needed to listen to every person that came and I had to solve every problem that was brought to me. Well, that proved for a tired principal.

Melissa Mucci 10:01

I think I know now that you can listen without having an answer. I want everyone to feel that they're being heard and there's a way to do that where you can sort of ask them, hear them and then validate them and then look for a solution through the voice of who's bringing you the problem. It's taken me a while to say talk to me about what you've done, without sounding condescending. Does that make sense? Oh, it makes so much sense.

Dr. Alicia Bowman 10:35

Well, so we, you know, do some professional learning around coaching and coaching for growth, and a lot of it is about really exactly what you said active listening. But what does that really mean? You know, asking great questions, genuine questions, but so you're helping them solve the problem, and it's kind of what you spoke about before. It's empowerment, right, and also it goes back to the idea of, like, helping with that ownership, and it's the same thing we want for students. It's the same behavior we want our teachers modeling for students, right, helping them to own and solve their own problems. Not that we're not supporting them, but you're right, we just, as a leader, a solo leader. You don't need to be the expert and a solver of everything, and really shouldn't be at that. So, melissa, talk to us about how you maintain.

Melissa Mucci 11:26

I keep up on my reading. I think the biggest thing for me is networking and making sure that I share my story with my leadership team and it often can feel isolating when there's one elementary school, one middle, one high. We're in our own buildings and we're managing that and that's great. But when you have an issue, knowing that you have a leadership team, when you have an issue, knowing that you have a leadership team, you know, beyond the books, beyond the resources, like real human interaction where you feel comfortable in a space to be able to talk to your leadership team in good times and in times that may challenge you, about situations you have. That's real professional growth for me. As a leader, you have to know your areas for growth and you have to be able to say them. You can read a book, but I think talking to people is important for getting perspective and sharing opinions, hearing opinions and then kind of taking those on and letting people know it's okay to not know as a leader.

Dr. Alicia Bowman 12:25

Absolutely. You know, the self-aware leaders are some of the best leaders, right, Knowing yourself well, knowing your strengths and weaknesses. Back to what you said about vulnerability being able to ask for help or get perspective when you need it.

Melissa Mucci 12:38

Yeah, and I think as a leader you can get lost and you could work from 6 am to 7 pm and beyond, and sometimes you have to do that. This year, I needed to take time for me and know that the work still is there, no matter what. It's still there, and I have been trying to meditate, trying to find time just for me each day. But finding time for yourself and not feeling guilty about it is important, and it's taken me a long time to figure that out.

Educational Trends and Core Values

Dr. Alicia Bowman 13:12

Yeah. Like guilty word is real, so let's shift gears. As you think ahead to the 2025-26 school year. Can you share an emerging trend in education that excites you?

Melissa Mucci 13:25

I was thinking about this question too. There's a lot of things that come in and out. No-transcript employing throughout our career, right? So making sure that our curriculum provides a clear path, that you are adhering and supporting programs and we are meeting our learning goals and moving our building forward is the foundation amongst all the new trends. So we always say to staff stay grounded, we are moving and we are changing, but we need to provide stability for students. And what does that look like? Utilizing your coaches, staying clear with your team, adhering to the programs as they present themselves.

Melissa Mucci 14:53

Yes, they're written for a reason, and so if you stray from those because you maybe think that's not necessary, let's get through the program or over the course of a year before we make any accommodations or revisions to that program. And that's hard because I'm not implementing the program, I'm not in the room teaching that, but I think, when you look at all the new trends, like technology, especially at the elementary level, we're looking to go away from that. We were the first district in Connecticut to implement the use of technology in our district and we had one-to-one iPads and one-to-one Chromebooks K-12. And I want to say that was in 2009. So we've known, we've been through the technology, but let's go back to, like, the core of what it is. It's about good teaching, good practice and, if you want to filter some trends in, let's talk about how that's going to impact our progress and what core principles are, you know, are we still following while we're bringing those in?

Dr. Alicia Bowman 15:59

So we're talking.

Melissa Mucci 16:01

We want to hear what's new, what's innovative, but we cannot risk the integrity at it being a quick fix. So I'm open to listening to new trends, but I'm still sort of like that homegrown back to basics, solid foundation, especially at the elementary level, if that makes sense.

Ignite Round: Leadership Insights

Dr. Alicia Bowman 16:20

Yeah, it's that common, assured experience and, like you said, it's ensuring that, as a leader too, when you're trying to explain to your community why you're doing something, you better be able to say how it aligns with your core, your vision and your values. Otherwise, why are we doing what we're doing? Absolutely. So, melissa, are you ready to pick up the pace? We're going to do the ignite round. We're speeding up a little bit. I'm going to start the sentence and you're going to finish it. Okay, here we go. Fill in the blank A great school leader.

Dr. Alicia Bowman 16:56

One of your best pieces of compression? Is your favorite school tradition or event? Is your superpower that aids you in your role as principal?

Melissa Mucci 17:14

Your superpower that aid you in your role as principal, staying agile, flexible, dependent on student need your go-to morning routine before school includes Coffee paw prints. Meditation repeat. Love it One word to describe your leadership style.

Dr. Alicia Bowman 17:38

Empowering and supportive. I'll give you two, Melissa. What is one thing I should?

Melissa Mucci 17:42

have asked you, but I didn't. It was a hard question for me. I think maybe what makes me smile, what makes me come back every day, what is that? Seeing them smile and being there for them any season, any day, even on their darkest days too, they matter.

Dr. Alicia Bowman 17:59

Absolutely. Is there something you'd like to ask me?

Melissa Mucci 18:08

Well, I wanted to ask you I know I looked at your profile on the cast website but what experiences make you smile and what sort of led you to becoming a leader?

Dr. Alicia Bowman 18:14

Sure, I'll do the second question first. So what led me to a leader was other people giving me a seat at the table and recognizing leadership qualities in me early on. And I say I always think back to the early days of being a teacher and I think the first experience I had that I would consider leadership was running the student council at a brand new school. So I, the student council at a brand new school. So I was a part of a brand new school that was just opening and we were creating everything from the ground up. So it was like leading the student council and then that shifted to being a team leader and then being a curriculum, so just getting opportunities and somebody seeing that in me and inviting me into the conversation, and so that's kind of how it got going. And then, when I would find myself in that place of discomfort, meaning like I wanted to do more influence, more kind of led me to whatever my next step was for a broader reach or broader perspective.

Dr. Alicia Bowman 19:09

What gives me the joy in my role now is working side by side with school leaders, in particular aspiring leaders or new leaders. So I do a lot of coaching and so having those conversations and seeing those like aha moments brings me joy, and I think that's because, at my core, I'm a teacher, so to me, those are like like almost when you see the aha moments with students right, and it's like, oh gosh, like, why didn't I think of that or like that makes so much sense? And it's like, oh gosh, like, why didn't I think of that or like that makes so much sense? And it's just like it's so fulfilling because we need great leaders in our schools. So any way I can support in that really is fulfilling. So, melissa, where could people go to find out more about you and your work and your school?

Melissa Mucci 19:54

So we do keep our website up to date. I put out a Friday flyer, sometimes a Saturday slider, depending on what's happening for me on my Friday afternoons, and they're all linked to our website. They're the small newsletters, but they are everything in a glance that happens here every single week. In addition, anyone can certainly reach out to me. Our doors are always open. We're implementing CKLA as our K-5, as our reading program, and we're piloting a math program and next school year we're going to be implementing that. So I think we're all looking at new reading and new math and aligning and schedules. So my door is always open to anyone that wants to tap into what's going on behind our doors.

Dr. Alicia Bowman 20:40

Thank you, melissa Mucci, principal of Summers Elementary School, the Connecticut Association of Schools Elementary School of the Year. Thank you for helping us to realize our mission of the Linking Leaders podcast, which is to connect the amazing educational leaders across our small state, one conversation at a time. I am confident that your candor, humility and experiences will spark ideas, create conversation and inspire action from colleagues throughout Connecticut and to you, melissa, a meaningful goodbye.

Melissa Mucci 21:15

Thank you, it was nice to meet with you guys. I appreciate the time.

Speaker 1 21:21

Thanks so much for joining us for this episode of the Linking Leaders podcast. This episode is brought to you by the Connecticut Association of Schools, serving schools and their leaders since 1935.