Richard J. Bradley Award Recipient 2010

Carl Stasio
Headmaster, Thornton Academy, Saco, ME

The Richard J. Bradley Award, named for the longtime  Executive Director of the Association, is presented annually to an active New England educator who has made significant contributions to the work and purpose of the New England Association of  Schools and Colleges amd whose exemplary work maintains and advocates high standards of excellence in education.

Carl Stasio has been a longstanding contribitor to NEASC. His activities began in 1995 when he began the first of two terms as a member of the Commission on Independent  Schools. In 1995-2000, he was the Chair of the Commission. During that time, CIS adopted a new protocol designed to serve a newly expanded membership, including an equal number of elementary schools; he was chair during the transition to a new Director, and he led the Commission in exploring the role of NEASC with regard to homeschooling programs and schools within juvenile detention centers. He has been a champion, advocating for and defending the recognition of NEASC accreditation of independent schools in the State of Maine. As chair of the Commission, Carl Stasio was also a member of the Board of Trustees. In that role, he served the Association as a member of the Association’s Nominations Committee and Finance Committee. As a new Board member, he assumed an earnest interest in its activities.

As an active participant in the Commission on Independent School’s accreditation process, he volunteered his time and ability to be the chair of many accreditationn teams in New England over the years. In his position as headmaster of Thornton Academy, this has required much juggling of schedules and workload in order to make this commitment to the Association. He has done this, because he believes in what the Association stands for,  and he values the accreditation process. He has clearly been a person who believe that his volunteer work in the Accociation offers a wonderful opportunity to contribute to his profession.

Carl was a member of the Committee on Ammerican and Internation Schools Abroad at two different times. While on the Committee for the second time, he assisted in its transition from a Committee to the Commission, and currently, as Chair, he has overseen the tremendous growth of the overseas membership. In addition to his work with the independent schools of New England, Carl has also chaired international school visiting committees annually, taking on the responsibility for schools that present travel issues and/or issues of concern to the Commission. As the chairperson of CAISA, he has dedicated himself to ensuring that Commission meetings are productive, engaging and worthwhile. He continuously focuses on the role, purpose and value of accreditation for the individual schools which the Association serves and the responsibility that the Commission has for maintaining the highest standards and expectations for a highly varied constituency that is dotted all around the globe.

Carl has been the Headmaster at Thornton Academy in Saco, Maine, since 1986. He has overseen the growth of the academy providing dynamic leadship resulting  in increased student admissions, the incorporation of a middle school and the addition of a boarding school department. All these successes run counter to the demographic changes in the region, which in and of themselves, would call for a decrease in student enrollment. The Association is grateful to Thornton Academy for its support of Carl’s involvement and participation in our organization.

Over these many years, in addition to working at the Commission levels, Carl has served the Association in a variety of capacities. He has been a member and chair of the Personnel Committee, the Policy Committee, the Appeals Committee, the Strategic Planning Committee and the Executive Committee. In the years 2001-2004, Carl was the president-elect, president, and past president of the Association. Once again, he left his mark, leading with a quiet wisdom, a breadth of common sense and affable demeanor. He has been an ambassadoe for the Association, an advocate for accreditation and, above all, an ally of education throught the world.

After receiving the award, Carl Stasio said, “This is a very special recognition for me because I truly believe in the mission of NEASC. For 125 years, the organization has promoted a thoughtful, meaningful a thoughtful, meaningful process by which K-16 schools can be evaluated in a holistic way – throughj reflective self-study, peer vosotatopm and thoughtful consideration about how best to meet students’ needs. I deeply value my NEASC colleagues and appreciate receiving this honor.