Middleboro School Committee welcomes new Henry B. Burkland principal

MIDDLEBORO — The School Committee officially welcomed Shammah Daniels as the new principal of Henry B. Burkland Elementary School during its meeting Thursday, Aug. 28.

Daniels began her role on July 1, succeeding Ronald Sanborn, who served as principal for one year following the departure of longtime principal Derek Thompson.

During the meeting, Daniels gave an overview of her 30-year career in education. She began in North Carolina schools, becoming an administrator after 10 years in the classroom.

Daniels moved to the Boston area prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and worked in Boston Public Schools before joining Fall River Public Schools ahead of accepting the Middleboro position.

Her introduction to the Middleboro community, she said, has been filled with “a lot of positivity.”

“I’ve taken a lot of time to get to know Middleboro and to get to know the teachers and parents,” Daniels said. “I’ve been meeting all summer with my staff, and I’ve met with the parents.”

In those meetings, Daniels shared her phone number with parents and encouraged them to text her photos and stories about their child’s summer vacation, in an effort to build relationships and get to know students.

In early conversations with staff, Daniels learned that a top priority for teachers is to establish “clear, consistent” expectations for student behavior and discipline. She said she has been working with other administrators to outline those expectations ahead of students’ arrival on Sept. 2.

“But as a seasoned leader, I know not to rush in and start trying to change things,” she said.