Schools

New Hall High Principal is Ready for the School Year

First-year Principal Dan Zittoun joins the West Hartford public school system from Madison.

Dan Zittoun, the new principal at Hall High School, smiled in his office last Thursday when asked if he would be willing to arm wrestle Julio Duarte, his interim counterpart at Conard High School.

Zittoun, who, despite being new to the West Hartford public school system, is well aware of the rivalry between Hall and Conard, said that Duarte’s wrestling background gave Duarte the edge.

But even if the Warriors and the Chieftains have fierce competitions on athletic fields and courts, the rivalry does not extend to the schools’ administrative offices.

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Indeed, Zittoun said that he would work with Duarte on best practices, and that they would adapt those practices to fit both Hall and Conard.

“At the end of the day, they are all students of West Hartford public schools,” Zittoun said. “We are going to combine our collective resource and share best practices. Then, everybody wins.”

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Later in the interview, Zittoun said that he and Duarte are focused on “bringing the best out of both of our schools.”

Zittoun, who spent 15 years in the Madison school system, most recently as assistant principal at Daniel Hand High, has been on the job officially since July 1.

So far, so good, he said.

“It’s been great; the entire West Hartford community has been wonderful and supportive,” he said.

Zittoun said that he has spent the last month and a half getting to know Hall’s faculty, staff, parents and students, as well as getting prepared for the NEASC accreditation visit that will take place in September.

“It is nice starting in the summer and getting acclimated and getting a feel for the building,” he said.

He’s encouraged parents and students to get to know him by holding office hours five times this summer - Tuesdays from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. He plans on holding one more - this Tuesday at the same time - before the school year starts.

And make no mistake, Zittoun can’t wait for the school year to start.

“I’m looking forward to having 1,500 kids coming in and getting the chance to know their names and the great things they’ll do at Hall,” he said.

Zittoun said that, while he is the top administrator at the school, he will follow the students’ lead when called upon. For example, if students want a certain club, activity or fundraiser, Zittoun will encourage and foster those requests.

“There are things that we need to do,” he said. “But we also want [the students] to have ownership of the school. My job is to give the capacity to do that and fulfill those endeavors.”

He’d even consider that arm-wrestling match with Duarte, for the right cause.

“If the arm wrestling would get money for the West Hartford Education Foundation, I’d do it,” he said.


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