Kyle Repucci, current superintendent of schools in his hometown of Rochester, will be the new principal of Broken Ground elementary next year after the school board unanimously approved his hiring Monday night.

It’s been awhile — eight years — since Repucci was a building principal. He’s missed it.

“Most of my days are are filled with lots of paperwork and lots of meetings with adults. But the times that I get into schools with students and help students achieve a small goal are extremely rewarding,” Repucci said.

He told the board that “it’s the right time to get back to my true passion, which is working with students and staff on a daily basis.”

Repucci’s level of experience as a building leader set him apart as a candidate, Superintendent Kathleen Murphy said. She noted that he comes from a diverse city, positioning him well to understand the needs of students in Concord.

In addition to his resume, Murphy said, “He’s a very open, approachable man and has a great sense of humor. He immediately connected with the kids.”

Repucci will fill the role of retiring Principal Susan Lauze, who has led Broken Ground since 2003. Both his experience and his demeanor, Murphy said, brings a “sense of comfort” to that transition.

He was the unanimous choice of the district’s hiring committee, according to board member Jessica Cambell.

Starting as assistant superintendent and then rising to the top job in 2019, Repucci has been an administrator in Rochester since 2016. Before that, he spent 10 years as a middle and high school principal in Epping.

An ongoing effort by district leaders aims to implement a more consistent curriculum across Concord elementary schools to ensure a more equal experience while students are in primary grades and put them on a similar footing once they enter middle school.

On the Heights, where grades K-2 attend Mill Brook and 3-5 attend the adjoining Broken Ground, the transition between second and third grade makes that push for consistency more complicated.

Repucci said he’s already been talking with Mill Brook Principal Katie Scarpati about how they’ll work together, and Murphy noted that Mill Brook representatives, including Scarpati, were part of the committee that selected Repucci.

According to compensation and nomination records, the $139,311 salary at Broken Ground is roughly a 10% pay cut compared to Repucci’s current post.

Repucci notified Rochester in December 2023 that he wouldn’t seek a renewal of his contract ending this summer. With two kids still in school, he told the Concord board that his family does not plan to relocate from Lee, where they live now.

“Serving the community where I was raised and lived in for roughly 30 years has been an absolute privilege,” Repucci wrote in a letter announcing his departure. “This decision was not an easy one.”