By JUDY RATTNER
And they didn't need to look too far, tapping Jennifer Pascarella, 36, a veteran 6th grade Social Studies teacher at the middle school, to fill the vacant spot.
"It was sudden. The assistant principal before me - here for less than a year - resigned in late August and the process began," Pascarella said. "I had just finished my internship for administrative certification in July, and I was right in the mix of things. I wasn't actively looking and the opportunity came up. For me, the chance to work with the people I literally grew up with, was mentored by and learned from, really helped. This is a very special place.The comraderie amongst the staff is so unique that for me to realize my dream of being an administrator with these people made the decision to come out of the classroom easy.
"One of the reasons I knew I was right for the job," Pascarella added, "is that I know the building, I know the community and I wholeheartedly believe in the philosophy of the district. I provide a sense of consistency for the betterment of the school."
Pascarella has been in the district - at the middle school - since 1994, starting right after she graduated from college. She attended Adelphi University and played on its soccer team. During her first few years at the middle school, Pascarella got married and started her family. She now lives in North Bellmore with her husband, Ralph, a physical education teacher in the Seaford schools, and their three children, two daughters, Sarah and Madelyn, who are 10 and 7, and a 5-year-old son, Ralphie.
Also during her first few years as a teacher, Pascarella got a masters degree in Special Education and coached South Side High School's junior varsity girls' soccer team for several seasons. As a teacher, she was part of the inclusion program for many years, and also spent eight years running the student intervention office for disciplinary issues.
Pascarella said that one of the main reasons she feels "very blessed to stay" at South Side Middle School, is that from the top of the administration down to the kids, there were constant opportunities for professional and personal development and growth. About the turnover in recent assistant principals at the school - there have been three in three years-Pascarella, and middle school Principal Shelagh McGinn each said that it varies according to the person, and that some have used the position as a stepping stone.
"She's fabulous," said McGinn about her new assistant principal. "Jenn is an absolutely amazing fit for this position - she's been here 14 years and she comes with the knowledge of the inner workings of the school and the culture, as well as just a plethora of new ideas for positive change.
"It's just perfect," added McGinn, " She's been embraced by the whole staff."
Among her other tasks as one of the school's two assistant principals (the other is Rose Cammarata), Pascarella handles the daily scheduling of aids and assistants in the school and is responsible for the general welfare of students in the building. She meets with guidance counselors and clusters of teachers to get a sense of what she needs to keep on her radar. And she'll be working on the school's annual Book Fair. "Although we have individual responsibilities," Pascarella said, "there's a very collaborative feel to what I do."
The decision to take the new job at this time was tough, said Pascarella. She said she was concerned about whether her immediate family was ready. But knowing she had the strong support of her husband, family, neighbors and friends, and also the emotional support and kind words from colleagues, she decided to take the opportunity. "The biggest obstacle for me now is to stay connected to the kids," she said. "As an administrator, out of the classroom every day, I want to get into the classroom and continue to develop relationships with the students. The kids are why I'm doing what I'm doing. I need to stay connected to them."
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