David P. Dunn

Martha Brown Middle School
Fairport Central Schools
Fairport, New York
ddunn@fairport.org

As a lifelong resident of Fairport, New York, David Dunn has a unique, long-term perspective on his role as principal of Martha Brown Middle School (MBMS). Prior to becoming MBMS’s lead administrator 24 years ago, Dunn was a student at the school, raised three children who also attended, and taught math for 18 years—10 while serving as department lead. Dunn’s longevity has allowed him to actively “develop a culture of family” where adult learners and students are “engaged in some of the best practices of effective middle schools.” Even two and a half decades into his principalship, Dunn remains a teacher and lifelong learner at heart; he currently co-teaches one section of eighth grade math and co-facilitates a summer workshop each year with his eighth grade asset leaders on character development, roles which he says have deepened trust with teachers and students, while helping him stay abreast of the challenges and joys of the classroom. Under his leadership, MBMS has developed a professional culture that emphasizes collaborative study, skill development, and problem-solving, supporting data-based instructional development as well as schoolwide conversations about how poverty affects educational outcomes. In all of his years of experience, Dunn says that one of his proudest professional moments was MBMS’s designation as a NYS Schools to Watch middle school in 2012, 2015, and 2018. He holds an M.S. in Educational Administration from SUNY Brockport and a B.S. in Secondary Education, with a 7-12 Math Endorsement.