Principal Profiles: Riitta Bolton

With the first day of school quickly approaching on Wednesday, Sept. 5, kids are starting to think about who they will have for teachers and which friends will share the same classroom. But what about the head honcho at school...the principal? Over the next few weeks, Patch will have a question and answer with Norton Public School principals so that students and their parents can get to know the person in charge. This week we learn about principal Riitta Bolton of .

Name: Riitta Bolton

Age: 55

How long have you worked in the Norton school system, and at what capacities? This will be my fourth year as a principal in Norton. Prior to working in Norton, I worked in Millbury and Shrewsbury.

What is your favorite part of being principal in Norton? I like working with children and sharing their academic successes and celebrating their growth as a person. I also like to work with teachers on learning new ways to improve instruction for all of our students.

What are your goals for the school this year? The staff will implement Responsive Classroom School strategies school-wide. We will also learn about our new student benchmark assessment program and progress monitoring tool, AIMSweb. The data team will conduct ongoing data analysis using AIMSweb to help facilitate intervention (RTI) school-wide. All grade levels will set SMART goals to improve student achievement.

What is your favorite song? I don’t have one favorite song, but I like to listen to Adele and Keith Urban songs.

What is your favorite movie? "Notting Hill" – I also watch "It’s a Wonderful Life" every holiday season, as it is the favorite of my husband!

What is your favorite television show? I am not much of a television watcher, but I did get hooked on "The Voice" last season.

What is your favorite hobby? I like to knit and crochet and read, especially newspapers.

What did you want to be growing up? I wanted to be a fashion designer.

Tell us something interesting about yourself that students and staff might not know: I was born in Finland and graduated from high school there. I have lived and worked in Sweden, England, Greece and Israel. My most unusual job was working in the banana fields in Israel.