New Memorial principal ready for challenge

The newest member to join the Memorial Junior High School family is none other than a familiar face in Valley Stream schools — Anthony Mignella. With an already vast history with the Central High School District, Mignella is ready to take the stage with his new role as principal and said he is beyond excited.

“So far, the staff has been very warm and welcoming,” Mignella said. “They have made my transition easy. I look forward to the start of a great year.”

With a passion for education, Mignella is no stranger to this field. After spending his childhood in Bayside, Queens, and graduating from Bayside High School, he went to Stony Brook University as a biochemistry major. Little did Mignella know that one research experience after college would be a defining moment for rediscovering another dream — teaching.

“I have always been interested in education, but originally I thought I would be a physician,” he said. “I did a year of cancer research with a doctor after college, which was seclusive. But I changed interests.”

Instead of letting his dream dry up like a raisin in the sun, Mignella actively pursued it. His next move was to earn a master’s degree in science and education from C.W. Post, which led to a professional certificate in administration from a second term at Stony Brook.

While earning his education license, Mignella began working at St. Edmund’s Preparatory High School in Brooklyn. But the father of two was ready for a new adventure, which brought him to Valley Stream South High School as a chemistry and middle school science teacher for six years. At South, Mignella started an Advanced Placement program and completed an administrative internship.

But in 2006, Mignella transitioned into an assistant principal position at Central High School, where he spent four years. He praises Principal Dr. Joseph Pompilio as his mentor. And though it was a bittersweet farewell on July 31, he will always cherish his time there.

And now, he is all smiles and cool conversation when talking about his new job at Memorial. “I was hoping to become a part of the Memorial family and the legacy of the building,” he exclaimed. “It was a dream come true.”

It was a dream that started when Mignella applied to the job advertisement on an education website. After being called in for an initial interview with Superintendent Dr. Marc Bernstein, Mignella breezed through two more interview rounds with Memorial staff and the Board of Education before he got the call that he was waiting on in July. “I was elated when I found out from the board that I had the position,” he said. “I could not wait to start.”

The board announced Mignella’s appointment at its July 29 meeting as the successor to Dr. Kathleen Walsh, who resigned after eight years as principal.

Board President Kenneth Cummings offered insight on the board’s decision to hire Mignella. “The board agreed with the decision to hire Mignella as we felt he was the right fit for Memorial,” Cummings said. “His passion for education and commitment to Valley Stream kids just convinced us he was the right person to lead Memorial for many years to come.”

As the new principal since Aug. 2, Mignella is digging his heels — knee deep — into a host of new responsibilities. He is concerned with making sure there is a rich and rigorous program at Memorial with a proper structure, sufficient development and support for students, and plenty of parental involvement. But first, he will familiarize himself with the school’s culture.

“As a first year principal, you do not want to change programs,” Mignella said. “I want to get a good feel of the culture and what is going on in the building. I want to get to know everyone and see what their individual needs are. It is important to make community connections and see where we go from there.”

But it is not just the existing needs that are grabbing Mignella’s attention. He wants to be prepared for any needs that may arise. With a vision for Memorial as bright as the sun, Mignella wants to transform the school into an elite institution with higher standards that meet and exceed New York state expectations. And for him, it is important to create a safe and healthy learning environment for students to feel comfortable and become well-prepared for high school.

To begin making this vision into a reality, Mignella is doing a number of tasks. For the past two weeks, he met with numerous staff members, including new Assistant Principal Lynn Winters, to ensure the master class schedules are set up correctly. Also, he is monitoring summer school matters and school renovations, which he wants the school to be in “pristine condition” for students. He even met will some Franklin Hospital staff to talk about bridging community relations.

Mignella plans to implement a Character Education program as well. And he is ready for the challenge. “I look forward to working with the students and staff,” Mignella said. “I am confident that together we will make Memorial a great place for everyone.”