Bryan E. Kerachsky

Skinner Road School
Vernon Public Schools
Vernon, Connecticut
bryan.kerachsky@vernonct.org

When Bryan Kerachsky became principal of Skinner Road School seven years ago, the state had recently identified the school as an Alliance District School, noting low academic achievement and a large high-need student population. Thanks to Kerachsky’s skillful turnaround leadership, the school’s Connecticut Accountability Index score has increased dramatically from 68 to 86 percent during his tenure. Most recently, the school ranked in the top 10 percent in the state for the first time in its history, with distinction for high performance in math for all students, and in math and ELA for students with high needs. Kerachsky credits these achievements to having built a vital culture of student achievement and belonging at Skinner Road, exemplified by the school’s motto, “Love. Care. Trust. Value.”  To carry out this mission, Kerachsky has led the development of the successful B3 Advisory Program, which places small groups of students with an adult mentor for twice weekly meetings that provide culturally relevant SEL activities and develop positive relationships outside the classroom. Previously, he was a district-level K-12 ELA Coordinator and Teaching and Learning Specialist. Kerachsky holds an M.Ed. in Educational Technology and a B.S. in Elementary Education from the University of Hartford and completed a sixth-year program in Educational Leadership at Central Connecticut State University.