By:Anne Marie Allocca
Gone was that small-community feeling, replaced by a regional director who now had 120 schools to oversee. Most of Burns's fellow principals moved on to Westchester or Long Island, eager to recapture that sense of community, but Burns stuck it out in Brooklyn, hoping to make the best of things.
After a year, Burns realized she needed that small-town closeness, so she began seeking new employment. She applied for the vacant principal's position at Clear Stream and met with District 30's superintendent, Larry McGoldrick. Burns was hired to succeed Robert Cohen, who retired in June after 14 years at the school.
"Right away I knew that this was a community place," Burns said of District 30. "That's what I wanted back. I love knowing all the kids; I love knowing all the parents. I love being there for everyone and being able to treat everyone as an individual. That's what I was able to do at P.S. 119 with the support of School District 22. However, once they changed that, I felt like I lost that."
The Brooklyn-born Burns worked as a school secretary at P.S. 312 in Bergen Beach, Brooklyn, when her three children, Katherine, Thomas and Michael, were young. Her principal insisted she was too young to be a secretary for the rest of her life, and urged her to go back to school to study teaching. She followed his advice, and taught second grade for six years before becoming a library media specialist, and then assistant principal of P.S. 312. That led to her becoming principal at P.S. 119.
"I never sat down and said, I want to grow up and become a principal," Burns said. "It just happened."
Of the job, she said, "You're the bottom line, and you know that every single person in the school is depending on you to make the right decision for the kids. That's what I think being a principal is all about."
While some might find the progression from school secretary to principal unusual, Burns says it was a natural one. "I wasn't 22 when I started," she said. "I had experience. I was a mother. I have to say, I'm a hard worker, and I think people recognize that, so they say, 'Let's give her the job - we know she'll get it done.' I think that was recognized by my superintendent, which was nice."
Burns also credits her husband, Michael, a captain in the New York City Fire Department, for his support. "If I wasn't married to him, this would never have happened," she said. "Maybe I would have become a teacher, but being a principal, you need a lot of support. You have to be out at night and be part of the community. You have to be willing to give your time. He was always for that 100 percent."
Burns's plans for her first year at Clear Stream Avenue include getting to know the community. "I don't think it's a good idea to come in and make changes," she said. "I want to get to know the staff and get a feel for what's happened here. Then, of course, I'll always have my background, but I think this year will be a learning year."
"This school is an excellent school, the scores are very high," Burns said. "My goal is to continue in the excellent tradition that has been here.
"As soon as you walk in the door you feel it - the kids love being here. It's a warm atmosphere but with a serious understanding that we're here to learn. That's utmost in everyone's mind. If I can continue that, then I'll feel that I've been successful."
