BRIDPORT — With a week to go before classes resume, newly minted Bridport Central School Principal Jenny Urban is busy arranging her office.

One of her first orders of business was assembling her favorite workplace adornment: A “why wall,” which is a collage of pictures, cards and other memorabilia supplied by past students, colleagues and friends that reminds her why she became an educator.

It’s a long list of reasons and it’s led her to her first fulltime principalship after 12 years working in the Addison Central School District. Urban has served the ACSD as a grades 1 and 2 classroom teacher, a paraeducator, an International Baccalaureate team leader, dean of students at Mary Hogan Elementary School, assistant principal of both Bridport and Shoreham elementary schools, and — most recently — as acting principal in Shoreham.

“It’s an exciting time and I’m grateful to be here,” Urban said during a recent interview at Bridport Central School, or BCS. “Even though I’m a veteran in this district, I’ve been given the opportunity to kind of be ‘new,’ and receive the kind of support that any new employee would get in our district. That’s been really awesome.”

Urban takes over for Matthew Brankman, who came to BCS in 2019 and began the 2023-24 academic year as principal of both the Bridport and Shoreham elementary schools. Urban had served a Brankman’s right-hand aide before being named Shoreham’s acting principal late last winter.

When the ACSD solicited applicants this past spring for its Bridport, Shoreham and Cornwall principal vacancies, Urban announced she’d be happy to serve in any of the three. District leaders found her to be a particularly good match for Bridport, where she had had previous experience as an administrator.

“It felt important for me to go through that process to ensure it was the right fit,” she said. “I (told the interview team), ‘If I’m the right fit for Shoreham, that’s great, but if there’s someone else that comes along who would be a better fit for those kids and teachers, that person should be there.’”

Ultimately, the Shoreham job went to Lashawn Whitmore-Sells, while Nadya Bech-Conger was picked for the Cornwall job. Urban was happy with her Bridport homecoming, and her Shoreham colleagues and students are only a short drive down Route 22A

She’ll miss her Shoreham colleagues and students, but knows that school will be in excellent hands.

“Shoreham deserves the best principal it can have, and the community is so excited to welcome Lashawn,” Urban said. “She’s incredible and has a ton of experience as a principal in Vermont.”

The transition to Bridport provided Urban with yet another new experience in her budding career.

“It gave me a chance to model how to say ‘goodbye’ to a community in a graceful, respectful way that helps kids understand that ‘I’m not leaving because you did something wrong; I’m leaving because you’re getting an awesome person. I’m just going up the road and I still care about you. You’re in good hands.’”

Urban leads a BCS staff of around 20 faculty and staff, a blend of new arrivals and savvy veterans. While Urban has past experience at Bridport Central, her reassimilation is being aided by several longtime BCS staffers.

Urban gave a particular shout-out to Administrative Assistant Linda Barrett, who’s served BCS for decades.

“(Barrett) knows every answer to every question, and the history behind it — and that’s really helpful,” Urban said. “She’s the heart and soul of Bridport School.”

And while Barrett provides the figurative mortar that holds the school together, the teachers are Bridport’s finely tuned engine, with Urban at the wheel.

“Every staff and faculty member we have is so committed to our school community and to the kids and families here,” Urban said. “We have phenomenal educators, and I’m so grateful to be here with them.”

Bridport Central, a preK-grade 5 school, is expected to welcome around 60 students next week. They’ll be divided into grade configurations of PreK, K/1, 2, 3/4 and 5. Urban anticipates around 10-15 students in each class.

“I’m looking forward to starting (at BCS) again, but through the lens of, ‘I’m the only principal here now, and we’re building a new community together,’” Urban said.

She wants BCS’s stakeholders to ask — and answer — such foundational questions as, “Who are we as Bridport School? What do we believe in? What do we value? And, how do we support kids together?’”

Her overarching hope is ensuring that “everyone in our school community believes we belong here.”

A 2008 VUHS GRADUATE

There’s no question in Urban’s mind that she belongs in Addison County. She was born and raised in Ferrisburgh and graduated from Vergennes Union High School in 2008. She wants to leave a legacy in her backyard.

“All good things come from Addison County, I believe. The reason I’ve stayed in Addison County for so long is this is my community,” she said. “It’s really important to me that I’m part of creating the next generation of community members. I want to help grow our community to make it stronger.”

Asked to describe her leadership style, Urban emphasized an in-the-trenches approach.

“I am right there next to teachers all day long,” she said. “It’s actually kind of weird for me to have an office; I didn’t have an office at all last year. I’m in classrooms, in hallways, on the playground all day, every day, whether it’s sorting out a recess squabble or modeling positive language and expectations.”

Given her teaching experience, Urban knows — and can help troubleshoot — the challenges educators sometimes face.

“I’ve been in the district with many of these folks and they’ve seen me grow, too, from a teacher into a principal. I and I want to help teachers here set and reach their own goals,” she said.

When she isn’t tending to educational matters at BCS, you might find Urban helping out at Crooked Ladle, a successful catering business that shares space with Everything Nice (a houseplant and home decor shop) and the Giving Fridge at 51 Main St. in Middlebury. Urban and her husband, Loren, launched Crooked Ladle four years ago out of a food truck. The business now includes two food trucks and the 51 Main St. site, which hosts events and other dine-in opportunities.

Urban used to do all the paperwork and event bookings for Crooked Ladle but has since trained new hires to take on those and other responsibilities.

She’s pleased with how the business has taken off. Crooked Ladle caters weddings, corporate retreats and other special events. The company has forged a solid partnership with the Middlebury New Filmmakers Festival, and will be hosting/catering a couple of MNFF functions this week.

But her focus now is squarely on BCS, and Urban has gotten off to a quick start meeting her constituents. BCS hosted a summer school session, in collaboration with Shoreham Elementary. BCS has also served as a summer meal site, where local families can pick up free lunches and breakfasts.

“I’ve been able to get out there and say Hi to families when they pick up lunch, and connect with them that way,” Urban said, adding with a smile: “Mandarin chicken day is a big hit. It’s been really cool.”

This summer has been a nice appetizer, but Urban is now ready for the main course.

“I can’t wait to have the kids back in the building,” she said. “That’s why we’re all here — for the kids. I’m excited to see them and learn how their summer was. I want to hear about the cows they showed at Field Days, and hearing these halls come alive again.”

Reporter John Flowers is at [email protected].