For Immediate Release -- August 24, 2021
ER9 Appoints Jason McKinnon, Ed.D. Superintendent of Schools
EASTON, Conn.— Tonight, the Easton, Redding, and Region 9 Boards of Education appointed Dr.
Jason McKinnon as their next superintendent of schools.
Dr. McKinnon, currently the superintendent of schools in Oxford, CT, was selected from a highly
qualified pool of twenty applicants. He holds a doctoral degree in instructional leadership from
Western Connecticut State University and is an alumnus of its Advanced Superintendent Program.
He received his undergraduate and master’s degrees from Flinders University in his native Australia.
The Search Steering Committee, under the direction of co-chairs Maureen Williams and Cheryl
Graziano, worked throughout the summer to solicit community input and design a thorough process
to select an exceptional school leader. The Steering Committee reviewed every application packet,
held initial interviews with six candidates, and was joined by the full boards for comprehensive call
back interviews with three finalists.
Graziano calls the new superintendent, “an enthusiastic leader who will collaborate with our ER9
teams and the Redding and Easton communities to promote a welcoming and supportive learning
environment where our students can grow and succeed.”
Prior to being named Superintendent in Oxford in 2019, Dr. McKinnon served as Assistant
Superintendent in New Fairfield for five years, and principal of Branchville Elementary School in
Ridgefield for ten. He began his teaching career as a special education teacher in Westport. His
student teaching experience was at Redding Elementary School.
“We are thrilled to have Dr. McKinnon join our community,” said Maureen Williams. “We are
absolutely confident in his capacities as an educator and as an administrator. We believe he is
unquestionably the person to lead us forward and look forward to watching him blaze a trail for
students and faculty.”
Of his appointment, Dr. McKinnon said, “I am deeply honored to have been selected as the new
superintendent of the Easton, Redding and Region 9 School Districts. I look forward to meeting
students and working collaboratively with the school boards, staff, families and school communities.
The ER9 school districts have a reputation for educational excellence and together we can continue
this mission.”
Region 9 Chairperson Todd Johnston commented, “We look forward to starting the school year with
Dr. McKinnon and welcoming him back to ER9. His educational experiences and leadership will be
an asset as the districts come out of the pandemic and close the educational gap it created.”
Redding Chairperson Chris Parkin shared his colleagues’ enthusiasm, “Dr. McKinnon’s collaborative
approach will help develop our many new building leaders and position our districts for continued
success. We look forward to a long successful partnership.”
Dr. McKinnon’s official start date is being negotiated. The Boards were assisted by Dr. Joseph Erardi
of JE Consulting in the search.