MANCHESTER, NH — After nearly three years leading New Hampshire’s largest school district, Manchester Superintendent Dr. Debra Livingston has announced her retirement, effective October 1, 2016. Dr. Livingston has been an energetic advocate for all children and public education for more than three decades. She arrived in Manchester from Fall Mountain Regional School District in the summer of 2013 and has led many successful initiatives here.
The Manchester Academic Standards developed during Dr. Livingston’s tenure reflects a focus on increased academic rigor, technology-supported learning, and evidence-based instruction. The collaboration among more than 60 Manchester teachers, curriculum specialists, and higher education researchers resulted in the highest level of academic expectations for all students in the Manchester School District.
Dr. Livingston is proud to have played a role in implementing full day kindergarten in Manchester in 2014. She also created Manchester’s Innovation Zone. The seven transforming i-Zone schools are encouraged to try creative ways of teaching that have proven results and highly engage students to successfully meet their learning needs. One of those schools, Parker-Varney Elementary School, was a New Hampshire Excellence in Education award recipient as the 2015 Elementary School of the Year and most recently received a national School Innovation and Change Award.
“The team of faculty, staff and administrators in our schools and at the district office is the best I’ve worked with in my career,” said Dr. Livingston. “What we’ve achieved in Manchester and the high quality education we provide to our kids are because of all the dedicated people around me.”
Dr. Livingston has been involved with several organizations that make a difference in the community and often partner with the school district. Dr. Livingston serves on the board of trustees for the Granite YMCA and on the City of Manchester Neighborhood Health Improvement Strategy leadership team. Currently, she is a New Hampshire Scholars board member, UNH Manchester advisory board member, and serves as a core planning group member for the Northeast Educator Effectiveness Alliance.
The Manchester Board of School Committee will lead the search for a new superintendent.
