New Peabody Higgins Middle School Principal Eyes Collaborative Approach To Learning

PEABODY, MA — Seith Bedard is stepping into the principal's office at Higgins Middle School with a focus on students, staff and the support systems already in place at the school.

A longtime Peabody Public Schools educator and administrator, he said he sees the job as a chance to join the school community and build on existing work.

"I am excited for the opportunity to lead Higgins Middle School and continue my time with the district," said Bedard. "There is a strong foundation already in place with dedicated staff, student support systems and a wide range of academic and extracurricular opportunities.

"My priority is to learn from the Higgins community and work collaboratively with our staff to build upon our strengths."

Most recently, Bedard served as assistant principal at Peabody Veterans Memorial High School, a role he held since 2022. He provided instructional leadership and staff support, guided school improvement projects, and coordinated schoolwide initiatives.

He developed the high school's Student Requiring Assistance, or SRA, team. The team brings staff together to identify students who may be facing academic, behavioral or other challenges and determine how the school can best support them.

He said that work is now shaping his plans for Higgins.

Bedard plans to bring the SRA model to the middle school and work with staff to identify students who may need additional support.

The district said the approach would build on Higgins' current support structure, including its Student Resource and Support Center, developed in 2025, and its Behavioral Assessment Team.

He was also the principal of Peabody Learning Academy from 2010 to 2021, where he led a redesign focused on competency-based learning and proficiency-based grading.

Bedard said he is emphasizing collaboration as he starts the job. His theme for the year is "WE ARE," which stands for "Work Ethic = Accountability, Responsibility, and Expectations."

"Higgins Middle School and its dedicated staff, support systems, academics and extracurriculars make it an important part of our district community," said Superintendent Josh Vadala. "We are excited to welcome Seith into his new role and know that his experience, leadership style and commitment will complement the outstanding work already taking place in the school."