Dianne Lochhead, EdD

Dr. Dianne Lochhead brings over 35 years of experience in public and private education, serving in roles ranging from classroom teacher to school administrator. She began her career as an elementary school teacher in a district serving students with significant social-emotional and academic needs—an experience that ignited her commitment to working with diverse learners.

After earning her master’s degree in special education from Bridgewater State University, Dr. Lochhead joined a nonprofit private school for students with nonverbal learning disabilities, where she designed integrated math and arts curricula to boost student engagement. She then spent 15 years with Newton Public Schools as an Academic Support and Co-Teacher, Assistant Dean, and director of an after-school program supporting more than 100 students.

Her leadership roles have included Principal of Newton’s substantially separate special education high school and Coordinator for 45-day stabilization programs at both the middle and high school levels. Over her ten-year tenure, she introduced practices such as Positive Behavioral Intervention Systems (PBIS), Universal Design for Learning (UDL), Collaborative Problem Solving, and Restorative Practices. She also developed data-driven tools for program evaluation, contributing to a positive school climate and improved student outcomes.

Dr. Lochhead has extensive experience in program evaluation and staff mentoring, collaborating with educators, psychologists, counselors, and paraprofessionals to design effective supports for students. In 2011, she completed her doctoral degree in Special Education at Boston University. For the past eight years, she has also served as a part-time lecturer at the BU Wheelock College of Education & Human Development, teaching courses on emotional and behavioral disorders.



She is dedicated to fostering inclusive educational environments and supporting the success of all learners.