It is officially after Memorial Day break, which means that the end of the school year is upon us. This whole ‘nother year of knowledge brings with it a whole year of wisdom of our school for students and teachers alike. This year was filled with many new teachers, as well as a brand new principal, so we sat down with them and we asked them how their first year went.
Mr. Petrucelli
The first teacher on the chopping block was Mr. Petrucelli, who we already interviewed in the beginning of the year, and he graciously stepped up to the challenge. Clearly, he wasn’t sick/scared of our questions (and Lina’s photoshop skills).
Is there anything that you have learned from (or about) Mountain Lakes as a community that you felt was unique?
I feel like Mountain Lakes is a lot different than a lot of places. What is it specifically… I can’t pinpoint it. There was definitely a, and it was right from the time I interviewed here and throughout the year, different feel to it. It’s a good sense of positivity, and great people all around.
What is one thing that you think sets Mountain Lakes apart from other towns?
Overall, I think the community as a whole and it being community members, the administrative team, the students, the faculty; there certainly is a lot of reason behind the performance and the accolades. I know it was something that even my dad mentioned when I was little before I had heard of this place. He said, “Oh Mountain Lakes always has the best schools, people always want to buy houses there, that place is great.”
Mr. Price
Next, we interviewed Mr. Price, the new band teacher. Mr. Price has spent the year filling in for Ms. Boyan while she is on maternity leave, and he has also been making the treacherous commute to Briarcliff every day to teach the middle-school students there.
Is there anything that you have learned from (or about) Mountain Lakes as a community that you felt was unique?
I think the sense of community here is really strong and I think one factor is that the schools are so close together. I grew up in a really large district with seven elementary schools.
Did you have any initial opinions you had about Mountain Lakes that changed as the year went on?
Didn’t know what [Mountain Lakes] was! My friend sent me the post and I had never heard of it! All I knew was that Mr. B was here and he was a name on a score to me. Any preconceived notions that I had were about Mr. B because I wasn’t sure how he would be towards me; I had no idea what to expect! But, now, he has become like a mentor to me and has helped me understand the district.
Mr. Szot
We also interviewed Mr. Szot, who is the freshman biology teacher (we also wrote an article about the Science Olympiad club that he co-advises, if you would like to read that article after this one)
Have you noticed a big difference in student culture from your last high school?
MLHS feels much more intimate and you actually get to know people in this community, unlike my old school. Here I feel like I know everybody and I can make easier connections with students.
Is there anything you learned about the community that you felt was very unique?
Yes. There is definitely a lot of pride and I feel like the people who live here and go to school here are very proud to be here.
Mr. Sanchez
Now, I know you are ready for the meat of this Mountaineer cheeseburger and that is our interview with none other than the big kahuna himself, Frank Sanchez. While Mr. Sanchez has been a part of our school district for years (and I mean years), he stepped into a new role this year, so we sat down with him and decided to ask about how his first year as principal of the school went.
How do you feel knowing that you will be principal next year and what were your reactions when you found out?
I was very humbled by all the nice things that students, faculty and community members had said. I can’t believe how nice they were and I am very excited about the opportunity. At first, I wasn’t sure if this was the type of job that I would be good at or that I would like, but then I fell in love with the job. There were a lot of good candidates so I was confident that I did a good job so far and I hoped people would see that. I knew there was a process and that they would pick the best person.
How does it make you feel that students wrote petitions for you to stay in your position as principal?
At first, I was a little embarrassed, but when someone showed me it and I read some of the comments it really made me feel touched by some of the sentiments and I really appreciated it. I think we all work hard, the faculty and administration, so it’s nice to know that students appreciate it.
Generally, what is your top priority to change in MLHS?
I think we are going to have to make sure the referendum construction does not interfere with instruction and we are going to focus our training and personal development on the new schedule that will happen the year after.
What made you want to be principal instead of a teacher?
I was concerned about leaving the classroom and not being with students and I thought I would miss that, but, in fact, I get to hang out with students a lot more and engage with them as principal and focus on their issues more than I could as a teacher so it actually worked out pretty well.
In your opinion, what do you like most about Mountain Lakes culture?
I deal with students a lot more than with parents calling me so when students have concerns they come right to me.
Any last remarks you would like to add for students, parents, and staff who read this article?
I want to say that I will continue to work as hard as I have this year and the years to come. I am so fortunate to have great colleagues that make the job easy and I look forward to having a new freshman and senior class next year.
Ah, we have reached the saddest part of the Mountaineer sandwich: the end. C’est la vie, the show must go on… or does it? We have sporadically linked many Mountaineer articles throughout this article, so you can continue to read more! Click some links!
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