Cutaia Named Outstanding Superintendent By Connecticut PTA

Press release from The Milford PTA Council:

April 20, 2021

The Milford PTA Council and the Milford Public Schools are pleased to announce Dr. Anna Cutaia, Superintendent of the Milford Public Schools, has been named the Outstanding Superintendent of 2021 by the Connecticut Parent Teacher Association. Dr. Cutaia will be honored at a celebration in May, hosted by the CT PTA.

Each year, the state association asks member chapters for nominations of individuals exemplifying excellence in school district leadership. Eligible recipients include administrators, teachers, and other school system staff members. Each candidate is judged on the following criteria: leadership for learning, communication, community involvement, and professionalism.

The nomination package, including an application and combined with letters of recommendation from the local Council and PTA member supporters, was sent to the state office for consideration earlier this year. Connecticut PTA officials made the announcement late last week naming Dr. Cutaia as Outstanding Superintendent for 2021.

Examples of Cutaia’s expertise and leadership all described her intentional focus on the social-emotional landscape of students and staff throughout the district.

“When our state shut down just one year ago, Dr. Cutaia set a very clear tone: relationships first,” commented Jessica De Young, president of the Milford PTA Council. “It has been at the core of all decisions made.”

De Young pointed to Dr. Cutaia’s unwavering support for the Milford PTA Council’s pursuit and subsequent awarding of a $15,000 national PTA grant, enabling the group to provide several programs for the community centered on supporting youth mental health.

Together in partnership, the Milford PTA Council and MPS executed three key programs: the training of over 150 individuals in Youth Mental Health First Aid, the Distance Learning Playbook for Parents webinar and the development of mental health libraries in our schools.

Letters of recommendation accompanying the nomination also identified the superintendent’s focus on clear and frequent communication as a welcome strategy. Bridget Krauss, president of the Meadowside Elementary PTA said, “Dr. Cutaia’s communications home have been consistent and honest. She has shared where the district is in their planning, communicated protocols that would be in place, and has shared the reality that guidance has continued to change” – oftentimes requiring district plans to be adjusted. “It helps to know that the safety of students and staff is at the forefront of decision-making, and that decisions are purposeful and not reactionary.”

Amy Rizzo, the district’s teacher-leader for Instructional Technology, also happens to be a parent of two children in the district and has personally seen Dr. Cutaia’s impact on our schools and the community. She emphasizes, “Dr. Cutaia’s inherent strength lies in her tremendous ability to build relationships with others. She demonstrates these skills by inviting and really listening to the voices of many, she reflectively thinks about how to best meet the needs of our community, and she allows room for shared collaboration within our flourishing school system. Dr. Cutaia regularly seeks out the voices of parents, teachers, and administrators and she then leads our school community forward through a collected vision focused on equitably serving the needs of all MPS learners.”

Dr. Cutaia is described as “a consistent and enthusiastic partner” of the Milford Education Foundation (MEF). The MPS and MEF partnership has resulted in several major events designed to support and extend student learning including the Milford Invention Convention, Milford Minds in Motion and the annual teacher mini-grant program.

Finally, letters of support for Dr. Cutaia’s nomination also included key attributes that helped to name her the winner of this outstanding recognition, including her clear direction and vision in keeping the district moving forward, her empathy for families and staff, and her willingness to partner with dozens of local agencies in the community in order to achieve common goals. Her leadership was described as "unparalleled."

Dr. Cutaia is grateful for the honor of this award and recognizes the strength of the Milford community, “As a team, students, staff, parents, community members and our Board of Education, we have come together to ensure that our dreams for students were not interrupted but rather only grew bigger with an unwavering commitment to all learners in Miford Public Schools.”

Congratulations to Dr. Cutaia and her continued devotion to and support of the Milford Public Schools.

This press release was produced by The Milford PTA Council. The views expressed here are the author's own.