Claude Irwin joins LBHS as vice principal

The Long Beach School District recently appointed Claude Irwin, a longtime educator with a military background, as the vice principal Long Beach High School.

He said that one of the main things that attracted to him to Long Beach was the way the community responded to the challenges posed by Hurricane Sandy.

“I was quite familiar with the devastation here and the town’s resilience and the way they galvanized to make sure that education remained at a high level in the schools,” he explained. “When the posting became available, I felt that I would like to be a part of a team like that.”

Irwin most recently served as secondary assistant principal at the middle and high school levels in the Hempstead School District. He oversaw grades eight, 11 and 12, conducted professional development initiatives, supervised staff members and various departments, coordinated student mentoring and career day efforts, managed technology issues and facilitated testing, among other responsibilities.

“I look forward to working with the building staff and the community as we serve the students of Long Beach,” Irwin said. “Working together towards a common goal can only have positive outcomes. I embrace this opportunity and I know together we will take all of our students to new heights.”

In addition to his strong background as an educational leader, Irwin has extensive military experience, serving three years of active duty and 21 in the Army Reserve before receiving an honorable discharge. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from St. Louis University, a Master of Business Administration degree from the New York Institute of Technology and an Advanced Certificate in School Building Leadership from the College of Saint Rose.

He said that he was slated to go to Iraq but needed surgery for a torn meniscus. He retired from the military in 2005, he said. Irwin first became involved in education in the early 1990s when he worked as a dean of students and a mathematics teacher at the Boys and Girls High School in Brooklyn and as an instructor for the New York University STEP Program. Prior to his role in Hempstead, Irwin served as a K-12 math director in the Amityville School District.

While still in the reserves, Irwin said he was drawn to the field of education because of the training aspect and the opportunity to teach and coach young people.

“We extend a warm welcome to Mr. Irwin and believe that he will be a valuable member of our team,” said Superintendent of Schools David Weiss. “We anticipate that his qualifications and background will nicely complement the goals we have for our high school program.”