Dr. Edmund Higgins
Dr. Edmund C. Higgins is a life-long Connecticut resident. He graduated from Staples High School in Westport, earned a BA degree in American History at Marietta College in 1964, a Master's Degree in 1967 from Purdue University and a Ph.D. in International Relations at UCLA in 1979. He was awarded administration certification from Columbia University Teachers College in 1981 and a superintendent's certification from Southern Connecticut State University in 1992. Prior to coming to Branford in 1989, Ed taught at Ridgefield High School (1964-1966), served as a teacher and administrator at Darien High School (1967-1984) and was principal at Weston High School (1984-1989).
Since he arrived in Branford, Ed Higgins has demonstrated great zeal, persistence and skill in fostering a learning climate at Branford High that has helped the school move closer to the realization of its motto, "Improved Learning for Everyone".
Ed Higgins is the individual who is most directly responsible for guiding Branford High School to become a school that is recognized across the state and New England as being on the cutting edge of twenty-first century public school education. He has approached the concept of change in an open-minded fashion, tapping the talents, energy and voices of teachers, students, parents and community members. He has used his considerable academic talents to provide research-based, best practices, as models for discussion. He has used his professional critical eye to help Branford's education community view change with fidelity to the school's philosophical principles and current knowledge about cognitive research.
Among the results of his leadership are the elimination of tracking, promoting heterogeneous classes, fostering the growth of interdisciplinary courses with a team teaching format, moving student grading practices to performance based assessment and promoting comprehensive curriculum reform through the adoption of performance-based graduation requirements.
He promoted extensive involvement of students, parents and teachers in curriculum design, based scheduling on the needs and goals that students and parents expressed and led Branford High School through two highly successful evaluations by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, the last of which produced rave commendations.
Ed Higgins oversaw the expansion of fine and practical arts curriculum that currently rivals most high schools in Connecticut and an athletic program that now offers competitive athletics to both boys and girls in a wide variety of successful programs. His hands-on leadership in the massive renovation of the high school produced a learning environment that has promoted this tremendous change. Perhaps most noteworthy in this respect is the massive infusion of technology which has put Branford students on an even footing with the most progressive schools in the state.
Because of the learning environment that Ed Higgins has fostered at Branford High School, the school has developed a stellar reputation for training teachers. The orientation model for new teachers he developed continues to be a highly effective program to put new teachers on a fast track to attaining teaching excellence. When local colleges and universities place student teachers at Branford High School, they know that their students will receive superior training and be able to enter the profession as fully functional, competent teachers. The professional development opportunities for teachers to grow are comprehensive and valued. Opportunities for teacher collaboration on important school issues far exceed the norm for most high schools. Teacher assessment procedures are driven by growth goals that are mutually developed by individual teachers and administrators and feature team monitoring, self-assessment, as well as standard administrative involvement. Beyond the walls of Branford High School, Ed Higgins' leadership has had a profound impact on other schools. He was the guiding force behind the development of the PAN Net, an organization of secondary schools that identifies key issues that impact teaching and learning and develops opportunities for member school to develop improved practices. The PAN Net has become a valued resource for schools across Connecticut and beyond. Ed Higgins was a major player in the development of the Southern Connecticut Conference, not only as a superior athletic conference, but also as a consortium of schools where student excellence in the humanities is trumpeted.
Ed was recognized as Connecticut's Educational Leader of the Year in 2000. He is active in a great number of professional organizations including the University of Minnesota's Center for School Change "Assessment Advisory Committee", Christian A. Johnson Foundation's Educational Leadership Program. The Headmaster Association, NEASC Standards and Self-Study Committees, Annenberg Foundation at Brown University's Secondary School Advisory Board and five Connecticut State Department of Education committees. He has been a presenter at countless professional institutes, including NEASC workshops and IBM/NASSP seminars. Among the organizations where he has held official leadership positions are NEASC Commission on Public Schools (member and Chair), the Southern Connecticut Conference (its first president), the Connecticut Association of Schools' High School Board of Control (Chair and Vice-Chair), and NEASC accreditation Visiting Team (Chair, Assistant and Co-Chair).
The New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), the major accreditation institution in New England, relied on Dr. Higgins' expertise and leadership in developing and implementing new assessment standards for schools. He is considered to be one of the leading professionals in school assessment in the six-state region. The influence of Ed Higgins' leadership has transformed Branford High School into an outstanding school where "Improved Learning for Everyone" has evolved from a catchy motto to the philosophical principle upon which the school functions. Ed Higgins' vision, leadership and persistence are easily discernible in the fiber of Branford High School.
Ed and his wife Helen, who is executive director of the Connecticut Trust of Historical Preservation, live in Guilford. They have two children, Andrew, 25 and Wendy, 21.
Since he arrived in Branford, Ed Higgins has demonstrated great zeal, persistence and skill in fostering a learning climate at Branford High that has helped the school move closer to the realization of its motto, "Improved Learning for Everyone".
Ed Higgins is the individual who is most directly responsible for guiding Branford High School to become a school that is recognized across the state and New England as being on the cutting edge of twenty-first century public school education. He has approached the concept of change in an open-minded fashion, tapping the talents, energy and voices of teachers, students, parents and community members. He has used his considerable academic talents to provide research-based, best practices, as models for discussion. He has used his professional critical eye to help Branford's education community view change with fidelity to the school's philosophical principles and current knowledge about cognitive research.
Among the results of his leadership are the elimination of tracking, promoting heterogeneous classes, fostering the growth of interdisciplinary courses with a team teaching format, moving student grading practices to performance based assessment and promoting comprehensive curriculum reform through the adoption of performance-based graduation requirements.
He promoted extensive involvement of students, parents and teachers in curriculum design, based scheduling on the needs and goals that students and parents expressed and led Branford High School through two highly successful evaluations by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, the last of which produced rave commendations.
Ed Higgins oversaw the expansion of fine and practical arts curriculum that currently rivals most high schools in Connecticut and an athletic program that now offers competitive athletics to both boys and girls in a wide variety of successful programs. His hands-on leadership in the massive renovation of the high school produced a learning environment that has promoted this tremendous change. Perhaps most noteworthy in this respect is the massive infusion of technology which has put Branford students on an even footing with the most progressive schools in the state.
Because of the learning environment that Ed Higgins has fostered at Branford High School, the school has developed a stellar reputation for training teachers. The orientation model for new teachers he developed continues to be a highly effective program to put new teachers on a fast track to attaining teaching excellence. When local colleges and universities place student teachers at Branford High School, they know that their students will receive superior training and be able to enter the profession as fully functional, competent teachers. The professional development opportunities for teachers to grow are comprehensive and valued. Opportunities for teacher collaboration on important school issues far exceed the norm for most high schools. Teacher assessment procedures are driven by growth goals that are mutually developed by individual teachers and administrators and feature team monitoring, self-assessment, as well as standard administrative involvement. Beyond the walls of Branford High School, Ed Higgins' leadership has had a profound impact on other schools. He was the guiding force behind the development of the PAN Net, an organization of secondary schools that identifies key issues that impact teaching and learning and develops opportunities for member school to develop improved practices. The PAN Net has become a valued resource for schools across Connecticut and beyond. Ed Higgins was a major player in the development of the Southern Connecticut Conference, not only as a superior athletic conference, but also as a consortium of schools where student excellence in the humanities is trumpeted.
Ed was recognized as Connecticut's Educational Leader of the Year in 2000. He is active in a great number of professional organizations including the University of Minnesota's Center for School Change "Assessment Advisory Committee", Christian A. Johnson Foundation's Educational Leadership Program. The Headmaster Association, NEASC Standards and Self-Study Committees, Annenberg Foundation at Brown University's Secondary School Advisory Board and five Connecticut State Department of Education committees. He has been a presenter at countless professional institutes, including NEASC workshops and IBM/NASSP seminars. Among the organizations where he has held official leadership positions are NEASC Commission on Public Schools (member and Chair), the Southern Connecticut Conference (its first president), the Connecticut Association of Schools' High School Board of Control (Chair and Vice-Chair), and NEASC accreditation Visiting Team (Chair, Assistant and Co-Chair).
The New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), the major accreditation institution in New England, relied on Dr. Higgins' expertise and leadership in developing and implementing new assessment standards for schools. He is considered to be one of the leading professionals in school assessment in the six-state region. The influence of Ed Higgins' leadership has transformed Branford High School into an outstanding school where "Improved Learning for Everyone" has evolved from a catchy motto to the philosophical principle upon which the school functions. Ed Higgins' vision, leadership and persistence are easily discernible in the fiber of Branford High School.
Ed and his wife Helen, who is executive director of the Connecticut Trust of Historical Preservation, live in Guilford. They have two children, Andrew, 25 and Wendy, 21.