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Jennifer Greco

Prof. Aronowitz

EDL 637-01

17 March 2021

Philosophy Paper

I work at Wellington C. Mepham High School located in Bellmore, NY. The school is

nestled in the middle of a large suburb on Long Island which is politically active in movements

such as Black Lives Matter and the state testing opt-out. It is one of three high schools in a

central high school district. The building is a 9-12 school with about 1,242 students, averaging

about 300 students per grade. Class sizes are manageable with a student-to-teacher ratio of 15:1.

Mepham, as well as the district as a whole, is predominantly white. Mepham itself is 80% white

with the remaining enrollment of 20% being made up of a variety of minority students. The

school is pretty evenly split with a student body makeup of 51% female students and 49% male

students. The school has a 97% graduation rate. Through the “challenge by choice” initiative of

the district, Mepham has 74% of its students enrolled in AP courses. The school also houses the

broadcasting program, which many students transfer to Mepham for that course. 14% are

economically disadvantaged with 13% receiving free lunch and 1% receiving reduced lunch.

These facts and statistics were taken from U.S. News.

I chose to interview two leaders within my building. The first was one of our assistant

principals, Mr. Andrew DelRosario. Mr. DelRosario and I have similar backgrounds in education

and certification, and he was one of the driving forces behind the district choosing to hire me. I

have always felt very comfortable around Mr. DelRosario from the first moment I met him. I

believe this comes from his administrative style. He knows and acknowledges that
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administration is a political game. He chooses to face that with honesty and a straight-forward

approach to communication. He said that “you can’t not be yourself.” I take those words to heart,

as I know my personality, approachability, and overall positive outlook on life as a teacher has

been something acknowledged and praised by superiors in the past. As a woman heading into a

profession predominantly employed by females, but predominantly run by males, I want to learn

how to still be myself while still learning to work with and assert myself in a male-dominated

sector of my profession. The ability to be an assertive female is a delicate balance. I need to

figure out how to still be approachable and positive while balancing a more assertive approach in

certain situations. As I move forward in my journey towards leadership, I hope to always be

myself. I want to stand true to what I believe, and make sure that I continue to be honest,

trustworthy, fair, and approachable.

When asked what his best day as administrator looks like, Mr. DelRosario explained that

it is when you see “significant progress with a student” you have been working with. Mr. Del (as

he is affectionately called) takes a hands-on approach to dealing with students. He knows that he

must truly understand and know a student, to see why s/he is behaving in a particular way.

Taking a human approach to issues with students allows the students to know and understand

that he truly does have their best interests at heart. This connection is vital to his success as an

administrator. He connects not only to the students but also to his staff. The mutual respect

garnered helps him to solve issues, as well as allow others to know that he is someone they can

come to if ever there is an issue. Through my conversation with Mr. DelRosario, I learned that it

is important for me to not get lost in the job. The job is not the paperwork, although important

and required; the job is fostering connections with people. Through those connections, teamwork
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and progress can flourish. It is my hope to also foster the human side of my work when I begin

my journey as an administrator.

In addition to interviewing Mr. DelRosario, I also interviewed our principal, Mr. Eric

Gomez. I have always admired the fact that Mr. Gomez entered into a position, which required

him to fill some very big shoes, with a perceived grace and ease. Prior to his principalship, Mr.

Michael Harrington had been at the helm and the staff was very concerned as to who would take

his place. When Mr. Gomez was announced as our new principal, we were all nervous but had

heard wonderful things about him. I admired the fact that he seemed to have made very little

waves when he first came in, but still, almost automatically, received recognition and respect.

When I asked him about his transition, he told me that he immediately connected with all of the

constituents: alumni, PTA, PTA liaisons, teachers, and parents, and students. He admitted to

taking home the previous year’s yearbook to learn all of the faces and names of the faculty and

staff. He made himself visible at games and other school functions to get to know the students

and parents. Despite this, he acknowledged that the students tested him his first year, although as

an outside observer, it seemed to the masses that he won them over quite quickly. He reported

that he had a solid team behind him, and it all came down to communication, relationship

building, and public relations. These all went together to form a solid foundation for the

beginning of his career. It was through this conversation that I learned as an administrator, it is

important to create a solid and trustworthy team around me. Even as principal, you are not

working in isolation, despite it feeling like a very lonely job. It is important to the success of the

school and district to work with all of the stakeholders and build relationships with them. The

burden does not fall on just one man or woman, but it is your job as principal to make sure that

those relationships exist for the benefit of all.

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If COVID has taught Mr. Gomez anything, it is the importance of self-care. Mr. Gomez is

careful to always take some time each day to regroup. He blocks out time to allow himself to

decompress and take a break from the day. It is easy to get swept up in the day-to-day

“emergencies” and goings-on. He avoids the “burnout” by taking time to recenter himself,

especially on emotionally difficult days, so that he can face the school with calm and composure,

despite the feelings he may be having underneath the surface. He discussed that the job is filled

with “unpredictables”. These are the things that you can’t plan for but always exist. Those

surprise events that just come at you, such as COVID, disciplinary issues, teacher sickness, etc.

In his opinion, the worst days are the days where too many are coming at once. That is when

some self-care is most important. In order to effectively handle a day filled with

“unpredictables”, one must be able to look at them with a clear head. Sometimes taking a step

back will help to make the correct path more clear.

Through my conversations with both gentlemen, we discussed what good and bad days in

leadership look like, and it really comes down to one’s definition of good and bad. I left both of

my conversations knowing that there will be obstacles and hurdles, but there will also be great

joy and accomplishments. I learned that I will need to rely on my cabinet and A.P.’s to help

delegate work and function as a team. It is only through teamwork, hard work, dedication, and

communication that these objectives will be met. Trust will be built through honest and open

communication.

When I advance to a leadership position, I will make sure that I am clear and honest with

my communication. I will not be afraid to delegate appropriate responsibilities or have those

tough conversations. I will celebrate the victories, both big and small, and I will learn from the

times where mistakes have happened. I know I will not be perfect, but I will strive my best to do
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so. I will advocate for equity for all that I serve, and I will foster a sense of safety, comfort, and

belonging to all who enter my building. Overall, I will find the humanity in my job. Being

human is the best key to success. Learning to listen in order to lead. Fighting for what’s right and

fair and just. Making every student, teacher, staff member, community member, parent, and more

feel heard and seen is the way to find success. I will not be able to prevent all disasters. I will not

always make the right decisions. There will be days when I feel like I am drowning, but if I have

done my job right, and fostered the appropriate relationships, I know that I will succeed.