Norwich ― Norwich Free Academy continued its leadership transition Thursday, appointing new chairs to the Board of Trustees on the education side and to the NFA Foundation fundraising endowment arm of the academy.

The Board of Trustees on Monday named current East Hartford Superintendent Nathan Quesnel as new Head of School starting July 1, succeeding current Head of School Brian Kelly, who will depart June 30.

At Thursday’s annual meeting of the NFA Corporators, the group named five-year trustee David Kalla as Board of Trustees chairman for a three-year term and board member Chris Jewell as vice chairman. Former trustee Chairman DeVol Joyner will remain on the board.

“I’m excited to be continuing the good work that’s been going on here,” Kalla said after the appointment. “I look forward to continuing this year with Dr. Kelly and I’m excited about then working with Dr. Quesnel when he comes this summer.”

Mark Tramontozzi was named foundation president, succeeding Todd Postler, whose term expired. Tramontozzi also serves on the Board of Trustees.

The transitions come as NFA is emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic, is undergoing rigorous high school accreditation and faces challenges such as declining high school population and rising costs. The foundation’s financial report on fundraising and the endowment was given behind closed doors.

Kelly said he was pleased that the board has named his successor and reached a three-year agreement with the NFA teachers’ union. He said he and Quesnel will work on the transition plan in spring. Joyner said the Board of Trustees will hold a meet-and-greet with Quesnel in spring as well.

Kelly said his final year will be busy with the New England Association of Schools and Colleges accreditation and work to refine NFA’s goals for students. A new five-point Portrait of a Graduate seeks to ensure graduates are responsible citizens, compassionate leaders, critical thinkers, creative problem-solvers and resilient risk-takers. Kelly said the goals will be evident in every classroom.

Kelly also has advocated for NFA to attract more international students to boost enrollment and private tuition income. Kelly’s three-year tenure has been dominated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which still leaves many international avenues closed. But NFA this year launched its elite-level Norwich Hockey Club, with several Canadian tuition-paying student athletes.

Senior Mathis Gagnon of Granby, Quebec, told the corporators Thursday he had thought he would have to give up his sport to concentrate on his plan to become a firefighter until he met the Norwich Hockey Club coaches last January. At NFA, Gagnon said, he is playing his beloved sport, taking EMT classes, learning English and living with a host family where he is active as a volunteer firefighter.

“I think NFA is a great school, because there is so many options,” Gagnon told corporators. “No matter what you want to do, there’s a course or class that can help you achieve your goal. … I was ready to leave the sport I love in order to choose firefighting, but this year, I don’t have to. NFA has given me the opportunity to do both, and I am happy to be here.”

Gagnon was one of four students to address the corporators. Jhon Lopez talked of immigrating from Guatemala. Leopoldine Bertrand described her year-long transition from a place of mental anguish, when she felt “I was no one,” ugly and “not my mother’s daughter” to becoming proud of her Haitian heritage and winning the Martin Luther King scholarship.

Linda Dieu gave her address in Spanish, with Head of School Kelly translating. Dieu, born in the Dominican Republic to Haitian parents, said her parents brought her to Norwich to give her “a better future,” including her education at NFA.

“I hope that everybody in the room here understands that this institution that has been around for so long continues to fulfill its mission,” Kelly said after the student speakers, “and continues to help children succeed and be successful and offer them something different.”

c.bessette@theday.com