'I will miss my 696 kids': DSA principal to retire in June

After more than three decades in education, Dartmouth South Academy Principal Adrienne Blumenthal is preparing to step away from a career she said has always been centred on one thing: students.

Blumenthal, who has spent 32 years working as a teacher, vice-principal and principal, will retire at the end of the school year after 11 years leading Dartmouth South Academy.

“I got in it for the kids,” she told the Post. “That is still my best joy every day.”

Blumenthal’s career began in 1993, as a teacher at the since-closed Mary Lawson School in Dartmouth. Over the years, she taught a wide range of grade levels, from primary through Grade 9, working in both English and French Immersion programs.

Her path into principalship started in 2001, when she became vice-principal at Joseph Giles Elementary in Cole Harbour. From there, Blumenthal was principal for five years at O’Connell Drive on the Eastern Shore, before moving to open a brand new Porter’s Lake Elementary.

Her eventual move to Dartmouth South Academy marked a turning point in her career.

Blumenthal was brought in to help oversee the merger of the Southdale-North Woodside School with the old Prince Arthur Junior High, and to manage the construction of a brand new primary to Grade 8 school facility.

In the years leading up to the new building’s opening, the school community had to adapt quickly.

“We actually ended up bringing Grades 7 and 8 students into a school that was really designed to be P to 6,” she said. “So we had 500 students crammed into a building that was not meant for 500 students for a couple of years.”

Despite the challenges, she said the experience brought the community together, with students and families playing a direct role in shaping the school, including choosing its name and logo.

When the new Dartmouth South Academy building opened in 2018, Blumenthal said creating a strong, unified school culture became a priority, especially in a school spanning primary to Grade 8. Students between the fifth and eighth grades are integrated, she said, “and we don’t refer to them as elementary and junior high.”

That approach, she explained, helped create a more cohesive environment for students as they moved through the school.

Over time, Blumenthal has seen the school evolve, both in its student population and academic outcomes.

“Our population of newcomers has increased, which has been great from a cultural perspective for our students,” she said.

She also noted improvements in student achievement.

“When I arrived […] we weren’t meeting the provincial expectations in math and literacy,” she said. “Now we’ve made leaps and bounds in those numbers. We are certainly within the provincial average.”

For Blumenthal, the most meaningful part of her job has been watching students grow—sometimes across multiple generations.

“I’ve seen brothers, sisters, […] and believe it or not, I’ve actually seen a couple of second generations,” she said.

One of the most challenging moments of her career came during the COVID-19 pandemic, when schools were forced to shift to online learning almost overnight.

“That was the toughest thing I’ve ever done,” she said.

Blumenthal said the transition required constant planning and adaptation, but she was struck by how students and staff responded.

“Our kids, especially our young ones, took to it well, beyond what I thought they would. And our junior highs, we had incredible attendance.”

Still, the experience reinforced what she values most about being in a school.

“The biggest challenge was not being able to see the kids for that length of time. I got into education for the kids and not being able to see those faces every day […] that was tough.”

Now, as she prepares to retire, Blumenthal said the choice was not an easy one.

“That was probably one of the toughest decisions that I’ve made,” she said. “It’s been 32 years and it’s time for me to do other things.”

Blumenthal plans to spend more time travelling and with family, while remaining connected to the community—something she has no intention of leaving behind. She currently teaches line dancing at the North Woodside Community Centre and expects to stay involved in education in some capacity.

What she will miss most, she said, are the day-to-day interactions with students.

“I will miss my 696 kids on a daily basis.”

As for how she hopes to be remembered, Blumenthal points to a simple goal: “As someone who certainly put students first and encouraged them to be the best person that they could be.”

With her departure, the Halifax Regional Centre for Education has begun the process of selecting a new principal. The position has been posted internally, with candidates undergoing a formal application and interview process led by HRCE.

While she will not be involved in the selection, Blumenthal said the next principal will need to prioritize relationships and community connection.

Her advice to whoever steps into the role is straightforward.

“Take the time to get to know the students, the staff, and the community, because they really are great.”

After more than three decades in education—and more than a decade at Dartmouth South Academy—Blumenthal said she leaves knowing she stayed where she was meant to be.

“I could have gone wherever I wanted,” she said. “But I chose to stay here because it’s a great community.”