NASHUA – Tanya Ackerman, a lifelong resident of Nashua and a teacher in the district for more than two decades, is the new assistant principal of Bicentennial Elementary School with a salary of $73,500.

Ackerman, who has been a fifth-grade teacher at Fairgrounds Elementary School for the last four years, said she is most excited to take her experience and knowledge from working in a Title I school that had a strong emphasis on social emotional learning, and apply it at Bicentennial.

During the Monday Board of Education Human Resources Committee meeting, board member Doris Hohensee asked what some of the struggles might be as an administrator having to discipline elementary students.

Ackerman said that mostly her goal will be to “create an atmosphere where kids feel safe,” but to also set expectations that no matter what, “we’re here as a team.” She also said that in order to effectively and appropriately handle students who are acting out, they must first determine why the students are doing so and to take the time to talk to the children about what might be wrong.

This is Ackerman’s first administrative position. Having worked at Bicentennial for a number of years earlier in her career, board President Dotty Oden asked Ackerman what she thought her biggest challenge would be transitioning back there.

Mostly, Ackerman said, she was excited and had not thought a lot about specific challenges, but did note that she would draw have to draw the line between professionalism and friendship with old co-workers.

Since she is taking the job more than a month after the start of the school year, Ackerman said she will try to follow the initiatives Principal Michael Mahoney has already set forth and build relationships with the students and community.

Though her position was confirmed during the Monday board meeting, Ackerman will not start until next month. Since she is currently a teacher at Fairgrounds Elementary, her position as a teacher needs to be filled before she can start her new role, she said.

At the last full board meeting, members voted fill five vacant assistant principalships with retired principals under the expectation that they would be temporary positions, with the new administrators selected and named by Monday’s meeting. However, so far, Ackerman is the only candidate who has been named. The jobs at Pennichuck Middle School, Fairgrounds Middle School, Birch Hill Elementary School and Fairgrounds Elementary School remain unfilled.

Hannah LaClaire can be reached at 594-1243 or hlaclaire@nashuatelegraph.com.