By Max Bowen-max.bowen@northstarreporter.com
Traci Vaughan’s first role in education was at a middle school and pretty soon, she’ll be heading back to one.
Vaughan, who has worked at the Early Learning Center (ELC) for the last seven years and is the current director, will be leaving in July to take a team chair position at King Phillip Middle School in Norfolk. Her last day will be July 8. Vaughan said that the decision was a difficult one, but ultimately the best for her family.
“I started at the middle school and will be going back to a middle school,” said Vaughan.
The departure was announced by Superintendent John Antonucci at a recent School Committee meeting.
“She has done a wonderful job for the ELC,” said Antonucci. “She will be hard to replace.”
Vaughan has worked with the North Attleborough Schools for the last 16 years. She began at the middle school, then took a position at Martin Elementary School, and later at the ELC. The center is the public integrated preschool program of the North Attleborough Schools and provides special education services to children with disabilities in a typical preschool environment. Students who are part of the Kennedy Donovan Early Intervention program in Attleboro are referred to the ELC at 30 months.
Vaughan said for the children who go there, it’s their first time in a public school setting, and the staff work hard to ensure it’s a good experience. Among the things they do is help prepare the children for kindergarten and the years beyond.
“I think sometimes it’s a lot more challenging than people perceive,” said Vaughan. “We’re teaching them to self-advocate, teaching them how to play. We directly teach the skills to the children.”
Vaughan said the positive work culture of the North Attleborough Schools was why she stayed for so long, and there’s a lot that she will miss after leaving.
“I’ll miss a lot, for sure I’ll miss my staff,” she said. “I’ll miss whenever I have a hard day or a hard moment and you see a child and they put a smile on my face. It’s been a fun journey in North Attleborough. I’ve learned a lot.”
