Hanscom Middle School gets new principal

  • Published
  • By Karen Guendel
  • 66th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. --  When students return to Hanscom Middle School in the fall, a new principal will be waiting to greet them.

On July 1, Erich Ledebuhr replaced the recently retired Mark Kaufman as school principal. Mr. Ledebuhr brings to Hanscom a wealth of teaching and administrative experience as well as a community-oriented vision for the school.

Originally a music teacher, Mr. Ledebuhr has spent the last 13 years in the Franklin Mass. school district where he has served as a special education team chair, the district's music director, the assistant principal of the Annie Sullivan Middle School and the interim principal at the Oak Street Elementary School, among other positions.

Mr. Ledebuhr said he was drawn to HMS in part because "one of the unique challenges about this building is that it's grades four through eight and my background has been in both elementary and middle school."

HMS poses other unique challenges as one of a handful of schools in the country located on military installations. Because it serves an active-duty community its student body is more transient and educationally diverse than many schools. "Students are moving from all over the U.S., if not all over the world, coming from different kinds of experiences. Yet we're also a public school and are responsible for state requirements as well," said Mr. Ledebuhr.

To meet these challenges, Mr. Ledebuhr envisions the school as "a constant" in each student's life on Hanscom, "whether a student is here for a couple of months or for a couple of years."

He also recognizes military culture as an integral part of the students' lives and the school's mission. Although military culture is already a part of HMS's culture, he said, "it also has to be part of our mission and our mission statement for the school."

He envisions HMS as "a focal point for the community." This means that HMS will work with other organizations on base to participate in community activities. It also means getting students and parents involved in the school's programs.

"Getting parents involved is important," said Mr. Ledebuhr, "In my years in education it's one of the most important things I've seen."

Mr. Ledebuhr also stressed the importance of open communication in the school and the home among students, parents and teachers. When teachers and parents are on the same page, he said, "a child can be very successful under those circumstances."

As part of his initial plan, Mr. Ledebuhr wants the school to celebrate and build on its traditions and successes and to "renew and recommit" to educating Hanscom's children.

Mr. Ledebuhr holds a Bachelor of Arts in music from Ithaca College and a Master of Music from the New England Conservatory. He also holds an Administrative Certificate from the Massachusetts Elementary School Principal's Association.