ORLEANS — The Lake Region Union High School board has selected Sharon Gonyaw to become the school’s next principal following the retirement of Andre Messier.
Gonyaw, who has served as assistant principal for nine years, brings 27 years of education experience to the position. She began her career as a school counselor before moving into administration 15 years ago as principal at Charleston Elementary School.
A Northeast Kingdom native, Gonyaw and her husband Jay chose to remain in the region to raise their two sons. She recently became a grandmother to her first grandchild, Harper.
During her tenure at Lake Region, Gonyaw has worked collaboratively with Messier and intends to continue his efforts while making her own contributions. She prioritizes student learning, school safety, and decision-making centered on students’ best interests.
Her counseling background has served as a resource for students and families in need. Gonyaw has established strong connections with community partners, businesses and local law enforcement. She is currently completing certification as a personal coach and plans to implement coaching and mentoring strategies to help staff and students build skills.
Gonyaw’s approach focuses on creating a safe environment with rigorous education that celebrates achievements.
She says she believes in providing students opportunities to be authentic and make important decisions about their learning experiences, helping them become resourceful learners who seek information and build necessary skills.
