Dear CCSC families,
As we announced earlier this spring, current Middle School Principal Becki Norris will be Community Charter School of Cambridge’s next Head of School effective July 1, 2019. (See here for more information.) In addition, High School Principal Ali Nomani is returning to Pakistan to work for a foundation committed to improving educational outcomes for Pakistani children and youth. This time of transition is an exciting one for our school community and we are thrilled to introduce CCSC’s next Middle School Principal and High School Principal.
Rachel Evelyn Jean-Louis will be the school’s next Middle School Principal. Ms. Jean-Louis graduated from CCSC in 2009. She earned her B.A. in Chemistry from Denison University as a Posse Scholar and her Master’s in Teaching from Relay Graduate School of Education. She has been teaching mathematics since 2013, first in Brooklyn, New York and then for the past four years at CCSC. Ms. Jean-Louis shared that she is “excited to work alongside families, faculty, staff, and leadership to ensure all students thrive academically, socially, and emotionally” as she steps into this new role.
David Francis-Maurer will be CCSC’s next High School Principal. Dr. Francis-Maurer comes to us from London, U.K, where he spent fourteen years in schools as a teacher and an administrator. He holds a B.Sc. in Mathematics, as well as a Master’s and Doctorate in Education. Dr. Francis-Maurer is currently teaching mathematics at Match Charter Public High School. He expressed his enthusiasm and confidence in “building on the strong foundation at CCSC and challenging each student to achieve his or her goals for college and beyond. It’s such an exciting time and I am looking forward to partnering with you over the coming days and weeks.”
Ms. Jean-Louis and Dr. Francis-Maurer officially begin their tenures on July 1st. Ms. Jean-Louis will begin to transition into the role this spring while completing her work as a teacher, advisor, and instructional coach. Dr. Francis-Maurer will also spend time on campus over the next two months as he finishes his teaching responsibilities at Match. As part of the transition, we have organized a morning and evening event for you to meet our new principals. These will take place at CCSC on Thursday, May 16th from 5-6 PM and Thursday, May 30th from 8:45-9:45 AM. Please save one of the dates.
We are proud of all that we have achieved as a school community over the past fourteen years. We are confident that Ms. Jean-Louis and Dr. Francis-Maurer’s leadership will enable the school to build on these successes and to make even more impressive gains for years to come.
For more information about Ms. Jean-Louis and Dr. Francis-Maurer, please see the short biographies below. Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions.
Sincerely,
Caleb Hurst-Hiller
Head of School
Becki Norris
Middle School Principal, Incoming Head of School
Rachel Evelyn Jean-Louis
Ms. Jean-Louis, known well to our community already, was raised in Cambridge alongside her eight brothers and sisters. She attended Cambridge Public Schools until 8th grade when she joined CCSC’s inaugural 9th grade class. She graduated from CCSC in 2009, was selected as a Posse scholar, and went on to earn her Bachelor’s in Chemistry from Denison University in 2013. Before graduating, she spent a summer as a teaching fellow with Uncommon Schools, which led to her pursuit of a career in education. Ms. Jean-Louis taught 2nd and 4th grade at Leadership Prep Bedford Stuyvesant, while also completing a Master’s in Teaching at Relay Graduate School of Education. Effectively lured “home,” she joined CCSC’s faculty as a 6th grade math teacher in 2015. During her time on faculty, Ms. Jean-Louis coached soccer and basketball and has long co-led the school’s female mentoring program. This year, she took on additional leadership roles, employing her training as a Critical Friends Group facilitator, leading the 6th grade team, and occupying the role of instructional coach with a focus on supporting new teachers.
David Francis-Maurer
Dr. Francis-Maurer’s breadth and depth of school experience have prepared him well to lead the high school at CCSC. A native of London, he earned his Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from Imperial College London in 2003. Over the course of the next fourteen years, he focused his career on promoting educational equity and excellence for young people who often lack equal opportunities, working in London schools that served similar student populations to that at CCSC. He earned his Master of Arts in Education from London South Bank University and a Doctorate in Education from University College London in 2017. His Master’s and Doctoral theses were both based on research he conducted at his school that investigated how social media and other mobile technology affect teen boys’ identities. Dr. Francis-Maurer has seven years of experience as an administrator and brings a wealth of knowledge in instructional leadership, teacher coaching, and building strong relationships with students. After moving to the U.S. last year, he has familiarized himself with the local educational environment, volunteering at Cambridge Rindge and Latin and teaching mathematics at Match Charter Public School.