New Brookside principal knows her way around

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When most new teachers or administrators begin their tenure in the Baldwin School District, it takes some time to learn the community and gauge what their new school is all about. And while there will be some time needed to learn the names of teachers, students and parents for new Brookside Elementary School Principal Jennifer Bumford, she’s already got a handle on the Baldwin community.

Bumford has lived in Baldwin since 1997 with her husband David and three children, who each attended Brookside, Baldwin Middle School and Baldwin High School. Her youngest child graduated BHS in June.

But she brings more than just a familiarity to the community; she served as principal of the California Avenue School in Uniondale for the last eight years, worked as an assistant principal in Uniondale and Queens and got her start in education as a grade school teacher in Queens where she taught second, fourth and fifth grade over a span of 13 years.

When she was 3, Bumford said she first wanted to become a teacher. Her mom and two of her aunts were teachers so she had the bug from an early age.

After working in the classroom for 13 years, Bumford then made the transition to assistant principal and eventually principal. “You get to affect, shape and mold new teachers,” she said of her role as principal. “As opposed to having an impact on your class of 20-25 students each year, as the principal you get to have your sphere of influence widened. There are hundreds of children that you’re guiding and coaching and impacting on a daily basis.”

Her most recent position in Uniondale had her oversee the education of about 800 students a year. Brookside has less than 300 children, but Bumford said the number of students doesn’t change her job all too much.

She first saw the posting for the Brookside position in February and applied soon after. There were several rounds of interviews in March with administrators, school community stakeholders and finally the Board of Education. The board formally approved her hiring at its April 9 meeting.

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