Sept. 9 was Dean Becky Wilusz’s last day as the dean of Lexington High School’s Foreign Language building. 

The school community deeply appreciated Wilusz during her time at LHS. Marlene Couture, Wilusz’s administrative assistant, worked closely with her.

“She was great, I loved working with Dean Wilusz. I thought she did a great job. We got along well; I miss her terribly,” Couture said.

After Wilusz’s leave, LHS looked for a new dean. Deans must meet with students, families, and staff, which requires strong communication and interpersonal skills.

“Understanding, listening, patience. You’ve got to understand, you’ve got to listen to people,” Couture said. 

Eventually, Linda Bartlett, who worked in the Lexington Public School District for the past eight years as the evaluation team supervisor, was selected for the position. Bartlett reflected on her teaching experiences which influenced her to apply for the position. 

“I started as an instructional assistant when my son was young and loved working with students in the school, and got my teaching license because I wanted to be a teacher. I loved being a teacher so I got additional educational certifications, and when I saw the dean position open up, I thought it would be a natural next step to just grow and learn,” Bartlett said. 

As a parent and educator, Bartlett understands the important qualities of a good dean. 

“I’m also a mom of a son who has gone through school, so I understand the role coming from a parent, as a teacher, and now as a dean. The foundation is to love working with students and supporting students’ successes. Staying organized and wanting to work with the learning community,” Bartlett said. 

Bartlett hopes to be a supportive role model for students in the community. 

“What I want students to know is that I hope they always feel that they can come to me. I want to be part of their support team, I want to be approachable,” Bartlett said.

Dean Wilusz will be missed, but Dean Bartlett is grateful for this new experience. 

“I’m very grateful to be in the role of dean now. It is such a great student body and family involvement, and community involvement,” Bartlett said.