Released: June 29, 2005

Thomas M. Danehy Selected Principal of CREC Great Path Academy
Magnet School at Manchester Community College Serves 11th and 12th Grade Students From Eight Towns
 
Thomas M. Danehy is the new principal for Great Path Academy, an interdistrict magnet school run by the Capitol Region Education Council and located on the campus of Manchester Community College.  The school serves students in the 11th and 12th grades from Bolton, Coventry, East Hartford, Ellington, Glastonbury, Hartford, Manchester and Tolland with a middle college theme that assists these students in the transition from high school to college.  Many of them earn between 15 and 30 college credits tuition-free while attending this public high school.
 
Danehy was selected from a national pool of candidates and will begin in July.  Currently the director of Human Resources for the East Hartford Public Schools, he has also held several other principal positions at Connecticut schools throughout his career.  Danehy has served as principal of Portland Middle School, vice principal of Weaver High School in Hartford, principal of West Middle Elementary School in Hartford and principal of Cathedral of Saint Joseph School in Hartford.
 
He is presently a doctoral candidate at the University of Hartford and holds a certificate in Administration and Supervision from Fordham University.  He earned his law degree from the Quinnipiac University School of Law, a master’s degree in reading from Southern Connecticut State University, and a master’s degree in communication as well as a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Fairfield University.  He resides in West Hartford.
 
Danehy’s experience with diverse student populations was important factor in his selection, according to Joe Townsley, general director of magnet schools at CREC.  Great Path is one of nine magnet schools operated by CREC, all of which were created to reduce the racial, ethnic and socio-economic isolation of public school students in Hartford and its surrounding communities.
 
“Tom also understands the mission of a middle college, and his human resources experience will be invaluable to us as we grow Great Path from serving 80 students to serving 300, and quadruple the staff over the next few years,” said Townsley.  “We are extremely pleased that he will be joining our team and believe he has all the skills and experience to move this program forward.”
 
Danehy will oversee the design and construction of a new building for the school on the Manchester Community College campus and further the successful partnership established between the college and CREC last year.

About CREC
CREC is a non-profit, regional educational service center serving 35 Greater Hartford public school districts.  It was founded in 1966 by local school districts working together to solve common problems.  Today, CREC administers more than 120 programs and services spanning the entire educational spectrum with the same goal in mind.  CREC’s Division of Magnet Schools strives to offer the highest quality educational opportunities that reduce racial, ethnic and socio-economic isolation of students by initiating, developing and managing innovative educational programs.  For more information on CREC and Great Path Academy, please visit www.crec.org/greatpath.

For Immediate Release:
June 29, 2005
 
Contacts:
Joe Townsley, 860-524-4015

###