Virginia educator new principal of Holy Family-Holy Name School

Article originally published on southcoasttoday.com.

NEW BEDFORD — Fall River Diocesan superintendent of schools, Stephen A. Perla, has announced the appointment of Joseph Branco as principal at Holy Family-Holy Name School effective July 1.

Originally from Tiverton, R.I., Branco served in the United States Marine Corps for 22-years before beginning teaching at the elementary level in Chesapeake, Va., in 2002. From the third- and later fourth-grade classroom he then moved into educational technology within the system, working with teachers to incorporate technology into their daily instruction. In 2010, he was named an assistant principal, first at Southeastern Elementary then the George W. Carver Intermediate School, where he now serves. In his capacity as assistant principal he has had as areas of focus on special education and the Virginia Alternate Assessment Program for students with cognitive disabilities.

Branco said in a letter to parents that he is “humbled to have the opportunity to serve a school with such a rich Catholic education tradition.” He stated his goal will be to “focus on the school’s spiritual development, character education initiatives, the use of data to drive instruction, and to provide the consistent implementation of a rigorous core skills curriculum.”

Branco holds a master’s degree in education from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va., and an educational specialist degree in leadership-administration and supervision from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. He is married and the father of three.

He will succeed interim principal Marianne McGlynn who will return to her previous assistant principal post.