Holyoke Public Schools has selected a new principal to head up the new Peck Middle School.
“As you know, our new Peck Middle School will open in August for the 2025-26 school year,” Superintendent Anthony Soto said. “At that time, the existing school communities of Holyoke STEM Academy and Metcalf Middle School will merge together to become Peck Middle School. An important part of opening a new middle school is hiring its principal. I am pleased to share that Mr. Diego Sharon will be the principal for our new Peck Middle School beginning July 2025. He will meet with students, families, and staff over the coming months to prepare for a strong opening of our new middle school.”
Mr. Sharon has been a teacher and school leader for more than 30 years. Currently, he is working as an education consultant. He previously served as middle school principal and high school dean of students for Amherst Regional Public Schools. He is especially proud of his expansion of art and social emotional supports for middle school students. Prior to his work in Amherst, he led and has contributed to the program, curriculum, and staffing design for two schools. He has taught English language development, Spanish, English, and humanities in California, Pennsylvania, and New York. He is certified to train educators in project-based learning, restorative justice, and peer mediation.
Mr. Sharon is fully bilingual in Spanish and English and is excited to work in a community whose lived experiences closely match his own journey. He moved from Colombia to California when he was four, and he was an English learner himself. He believes deeply in the transformative power of an education rooted in strong relationships, high expectations, and consistent support. He received his bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of California-Irvine and master’s degree in cross-cultural education from National University. In his free time, he enjoys hiking, painting, music, and spending time with his wife and three children, two of whom are enrolled in New York University and Princeton University.
“Please join me in welcoming Mr. Sharon to Holyoke,” Mr. Soto said. “We will continue to keep the community informed about opportunities to meet Mr. Sharon and our transition to the new middle school. Stay tuned for more information in the coming months.”