Kara Muirhead Appointed as Director of Student Services for Norfolk Public Schools

Kara Muirhead has been appointed as Norfolk Public Schools’ new Director of Student Services. (Photo Courtesy Norfolk Public Schools)

​NORFOLK — Superintendent Dr. Ingrid Allardi and the Norfolk School Committee are pleased to announce the appointment of Kara Muirhead as the District’s next Director of Student Services, effective July 1.

Muirhead brings more than 25 years of special education experience to the role, including the past 14 years with Norfolk Public Schools.

She most recently served as Special Education Team Chair, leading Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings across initial evaluations, annual reviews and reevaluations in compliance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) regulations.

“Kara has been a dedicated advocate for our students throughout her time in Norfolk,” said Superintendent Allardi. “Her clinical expertise, her knowledge of our community and her commitment to every child make her exceptionally prepared for this role. We are also grateful to the staff and parents who served on the search committee for their time and contributions to the process.”

During her time in the District, Muirhead has also worked as a special education teacher and as the district’s Board-Certified Behavior Analyst, where she supported students with social, emotional and behavioral challenges, developed behavior support plans and provided training and consultation to staff. Her work has involved close collaboration with families, educators and community partners to ensure students receive appropriate services in the least restrictive environment.

Before joining Norfolk Public Schools in 2012, Muirhead held administrative leadership positions at two private day schools and served as Director of Children’s Services at the human services organization HMEA. In that role, she oversaw the expansion of the division and led the opening of a Raynham office that provided in-home, school-based and consultation services to children and families across Southeastern Massachusetts.

Muirhead’s work in the District has spanned behavioral programming, staff training, IEP development and interagency collaboration. She has also maintained active clinical roles as a behavior analyst, published peer-reviewed research on interprofessional practice for children with autism and presented at national conferences on applied behavior analysis.

“I am grateful for this opportunity and look forward to continuing to serve our students and families in this new capacity,” Muirhead said.

Muirhead holds a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Bridgewater State University, a Master of Science in Education in Intensive Special Needs from Simmons University and an Education Specialist degree (Ed.S.) in Behavioral Education from Simmons University. She is a licensed special education teacher, Board-Certified Behavior Analyst and a Licensed Applied Behavior Analyst in Massachusetts.

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