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Background photo by Westwood Minute; inset photo of John Murray courtesy of Westwood Public Schools.
7-28-2026 12:21am
Meet Your Westwood Neighbor: John Murray, Westwood High School's New Principal
Darlene Cancell
Editor
Thanks to Westwood Public Schools for contributing this article to Westwood Minute.
Like many educators, John Murray grew up knowing that he wanted to teach. The Hyde Park native and Boston Latin School graduate didn’t see a career in administration in his future.
“I always knew I wanted to be a history teacher,” said Murray. “I don’t think anyone grows up thinking they want to be a high school principal.”
After earning his undergraduate and graduate degrees in history and secondary education from Bridgewater State University, Murray landed his first teaching job at Brockton High School.
“I really enjoyed the classroom,” said Murray. “I loved the content, I loved connecting with students, but what I loved the most was the impact you could see you were having on the lives of students.”
Murray says he enjoyed getting to know students outside of the classroom as well and saw administration as a way to have additional impact. At age 28, Murray was hired as assistant principal at Dedham High School. He would go on to earn his doctorate from Northeastern University in 2014.
“I loved the smaller community and really getting to know the kids and their families,” said Murray. “I could see the impact on a community through that role and that’s what excited me about this pathway.”
Murray then took a position as principal at Medway High School, where he worked for the last eight years. He says he wasn’t looking for a new position, but a phone call from his friend, then-Westwood High School Principal (WHS) Amy Davenport, piqued his interest. Davenport told Murray she had just accepted a job as principal of Hopkinton High School.
“I asked her what she could tell me about Westwood and she talked about the amazing kids, the supportive parents, the staff that is really dedicated to this school and the traditions,” said Murray. “This school is bigger than Medway, so I thought, ‘What a neat opportunity to come into such a high-performing school and district.’”
“I’m incredibly excited to have Dr. Murray join our team in Westwood,” shared Superintendent Tim Piwowar. “With his experience, I know that he will hit the ground running, and that Westwood High School will continue to thrive under his leadership.”
Murray says his work is guided by specific values—specifically that students should be known, challenged and supported—which align with the district’s values and its recently unveiled “Portrait of a Graduate” plan.
“I intend to spend as much time as possible seeing how the programs we have here connect and how students are being challenged academically and seeing where we can enhance those pieces,” said Murray.
One area he does want to explore is bringing internships to WHS to give students “relevant, real-world experiences” before heading off to college or entering the workforce.
Murray and his wife have a teenage son and daughter which he says gives him an informed perspective on the job of high school principal. He enjoys family trips to Cape Cod, golfing and playing in an adult hockey league.
“I’m really excited to be here,” said Murray. “It’s a really great opportunity, and everyone’s been welcoming. I can’t wait to meet more of the kids, the staff and community.”
