Taunton administrator named principal of middle school she once attended

Donna Whitehead, The Taunton Daily Gazette
·3 min read

TAUNTON — Jaimie Pereira spent some of her own school days at the Joseph H. Martin Middle School. Now she’s returning as its principal.

Pereira, an associate principal at Taunton High School, will start her now position on July 1, Superintendent John Cabral said when he announced Pereira’s appointment.

"As a former Martin student herself, Jaimie has a deep understanding of what it means to be part of the school community and how students' experiences at the school can positively impact their futures,” Cabral said. “I greatly look forward to seeing her continue to build upon the Martin school's excellent work as she leads those sitting in the same classes she once sat in."

Jaimie Pereira has been appointed as the next principal of the Joseph H. Martin Middle School.
Jaimie Pereira has been appointed as the next principal of the Joseph H. Martin Middle School.

“It is profoundly meaningful to become the principal of the school where my educational experience first began," Pereira said, adding both her children also attended the Martin Middle School. "I have a great love for Martin School and its teachers of past and present and, as such, I'm extremely proud and excited to accept this new position."

Pereira has been an associate principal at THS since October 2016. In this role, she implemented and oversaw the student discipline system; enforced attendance procedures; planned and supervised all emergency preparedness programs; assisted in the planning, implementation and evaluation of instructional programs, and more.

She also served as the leader of the Attendance Revision Committee and Student Leader Guild, Director of the Steering Committee for the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) team, and as a leadership member of the Block Schedule Revision Committee. She also worked as the principal writer of the NEASC self-study report, and grant writer and overseer for the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's Safe and Supportive Schools grant.

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Prior to serving as an associate principal, Pereira worked in several other capacities within the district. She was the assistant principal at the Parker Middle School from August 2015 to October 2016 and an English teacher at the Taunton High School and the Friedman Middle School from September 2003 to June 2015.

Outside of the classroom, Pereira is involved in the greater Taunton community. She is the vice president of Taunton High School's Alumni Association and Hockey Face Off Club, a parent manager of the Taunton High School Girls Soccer Program and was a coach for the city's youth soccer league. She also serves on numerous professional associations and organizations.

Pereira holds a bachelor’s degree in English, a master of arts in Teaching (English) and a certificate of advanced graduate study in educational leadership all from Bridgewater State University. She is a member of Taunton High School's Class of 1995.

Staff writer Donna Whitehead can be reached by email at dwhitehead@tauntongazette.com.

This article originally appeared on The Taunton Daily Gazette: Former Taunton middle school student will be its new principal