For Principal Bryan Lombardi, getting to know Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School (MVRHS) means starting with the people who fill its hallways. This week, he began inviting small groups of students into his office during flex to talk about school, share ideas, and get acquainted with their new principal. The meetings reflect an approach to leadership that prioritizes listening to the school community.
During Thursday’s flex session with a group of six students, senior Griffin Buhler asked Mr. Lombardi what led him to become a principal.
“I initially started out as a history teacher,” said Principal Lombardi, “but then started to wonder about the students who weren’t doing well in school, and so I became a guidance counselor.” He explained how then becoming a school adjustment counselor ultimately led him into the field of administration.
So far, Mr. Lombardi has spent 28 years in education, 22 of which he has spent working in administration. He most recently served as principal at Northampton High School and Stoneham High School.
At Stoneham, Mr. Lombardi oversaw a major building project valued at $217 million. His experience with the project is particularly relevant at MVRHS, where a new school building, recently approved to cost around $333 million, is expected to break ground in the spring.
The opportunity to help guide MVRHS through a major transition was among the factors that drew Mr. Lombardi to the position. “I was interested in the new building project. I’ve done that before, and I’m really excited about what that does for school and the culture,” he said.
Mr. Lombardi was also attracted to the Island community and its diverse student body. “I love the diversity of the student body, the diversity of the educational opportunities for students. That really resonated with me,” he said. “I want to be part of a diverse school setting with inclusive offerings that provide opportunities for all students.”
The vice principal, Justine DeOliveira, was on the hiring committee that selected Mr. Lombardi last spring. “During the interviews, he brought up wanting to be part of a community where you might run into a student on the weekend and say hi. And I was like, ‘OK, I think he gets it.’”
For Mr. Lombardi, building relationships is more than a way to get to know the student body. It is central to how he believes a school should be led. “No matter what you do in life, it’s about having relationships,” he said. “Being able to laugh, or smile, or cry with students is what’s needed to support them. I want to make decisions that are based on genuine care and concern for students.”
Senior Sarah De Melo attended the Thursday flex conversation. “What surprised me the most was how [Mr. Lombardi] used his own experiences to connect with me. When I shared something about my life, he shared a similar experience of his own, which made the conversation feel way more personal. He genuinely wants to understand students and connect with them,” she said.
Guidance counselor Sean Mulvey, who served as interim principal last year, said he’s looking forward to the seasoned perspective Mr. Lombardi brings to the school. “He’s very respectful of the way we do things here already, but I think he’s nudging us in the right direction of things that we’ve been doing for a long time that we can definitely improve on,” he said.
For his first year at the helm, Mr. Lombardi hopes to continue listening, while maintaining the school’s longstanding traditions. “I want to have a real understanding of what the school does, and what the areas are that we want to move forward with in terms of growth and improvements. I want to see us on track with the building project, I want to connect with the students, and for them to know that I’m in it with them, to help provide the best learning and school experience that we can,” he said.
Beyond his goals for the school, Mr. Lombardi said one of the most meaningful parts of his job is watching students grow throughout their high school years. “I feel like I have the best job in the world. It’s really nice being able to work with students and seeing them go from being a kid to — over four years, only 720 days — seeing them blossom into a young adult. It’s fascinating. It’s exciting,” he said. “I’m honored to be part of that. It’s a privilege and something I appreciate and take much satisfaction in.”
