After a thorough search process, Supt. of Boston Schools Mary Skipper announced that Bradley School principal Claire Carney has been appointed the new Region 1 School Superintendent.
Carney began in her new position on Aug. 5. She succeeds Dr. Tommy Welch, who stepped down to become the new superintendent of Salem public schools.
“I am excited that Claire has agreed to continue supporting the students, families, and educators of Region 1 in this new role,” said Skipper, the leader of the Boston school system.
In her key role, Carney will provide leadership, conduct in-person school observations, meet with administrators, staff, and families, and support the 15 schools in Region 1 that includes East Boston, Charlestown, and the North End.
Carney is entering her 18th year of service in the Boston Public Schools, with experience as a teacher, principal, and district leader dedicated to ensuring every student has access to an exceptional education. Claire has served as Principal of the Bradley Elementary School in East Boston for ten years, where she led sustained academic growth, strengthened inclusive instructional practices, and built strong partnerships with students, families, and staff. During her tenure, the Bradley School rose from the 33rd to the 84th percentile on the Massachusetts state accountability system and was recognized as a 2024 National ESEA Distinguished School and the 2025 EdVestors School on the Move Prize recipient.
“Throughout her career, Claire has championed high-quality instruction, educator development, and collaborative leadership,” lauded Skipper. “She has served as a mentor to new principals, represented Region 1 on the Boston Public Schools School Leader Cabinet, and led professional learning for educators across the district. She believes the foundation of lasting school improvement is a deep understanding of each school community and strong partnerships among students, families, and educators. Her leadership is grounded in high expectations, inclusive practices, and the belief that every child deserves joyful, rigorous learning experiences that foster curiosity, critical thinking, belonging, and preparation for college, career, and life.”
Carney earned her bachelor’s degree from the College of the Holy Cross, her master’s degree from Boston University, and her Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study (CAGS) in Educational Administration from UMass Boston. Carney lives in East Boston with her husband, Steve, a teacher in the Boston Public Schools, and their two children, James and Declan, who attend Boston Public Schools.
“I’m just incredibly honored and excited,” said Carney about her appointment to the prestigious position in Boston (the most populous city in New England). “I’ve been a resident of East Boston for about 15 years and have loved living in this neighborhood and raising my family here. I’m very grateful for the chance to improve opportunities for all students across the region.”
Brilliance at the Bradley
If you were to grade Carney’s performance at the Bradley School during her amazing tenure, it would be A-plus. Every target for excellence was either met or exceeded at the Bradley in a stellar collaboration with Welch.
Carney is understandably proud of the school’s ascension in the academic rankings, making it one of the highest-performing schools in the City of Boston and a recipient of national award. She wants to bring the successful philosophy that she instilled at the Bradley to other schools in Region 1.
“One of the things that was really important to me was that there should be consistency in the experience that families are having in all of our schools in East Boston, so when they walk into the door, I want them to feel like it’s a joyful, welcoming environment, but also their children are getting the best possible education, and that there’s a real focus on making sure that their children are successful in meeting their goals. I want to bring that same mindset to all the schools,” said Carney.
She also hopes to continue the schools’ partnership with local businesses and organizations.
“We have amazing community partners in East Boston – the Social Centers, Salesian Boys and Girls Club, Little League, Boston Scores (Soccer), Martin Pino Center, Paris Street Community Center – all those great organizations – and we want to continue to leverage that work in our schools,” said Carney, who has begun meeting with school and community leaders and school liaisons.
Bradley said the professional, administrative teamwork with Welch, who is also a resident of East Boston, worked well in helping the Bradley School achieve its high goals.
“We want to continue capitalizing on that foundation that Tommy has set,” said Carney. “He hired me as principal over ten years ago, and he has really partnered with me to think through professional development and all the support that our schools would need, so I’m eager to continue his work, but also put my own spin on it and ensure that I’m listening to community members. I’m the daughter of two teachers and obviously married to a teacher, so I see the value of our educators working with students and want to make sure that we are listening to our teachers, but also from the perspective of being a parent of two little kids, I’m certainly excited to improve outcomes for all schools in East Boston, the North End, and Charlestown.”
Praise from her predecessor
Dr. Welch offered his personal congratulations to Carney while lauding her exceptional leadership at the Bradley School, which became a national model during her highly successful tenure in East Boston.
“I want to congratulate Claire on her much-deserved promotion,” said Welch. “She knows the East Boston, Charlestown, and North End schools really well. Her work at the Bradley School was outstanding, and she will be a tremendous asset to the entire district. The last two or three years, she had been taking on a stronger role in leading professional development for principals. I think she is ready for this new position and she’s going to do great things for students and teachers in Region 1.”