1/15/16
Walking into the interview I didn’t know what to expect, but I did know that I wanted to get to know our class principal before we left on our journey for college. I waited in the senior office after school for about five minutes until Ms. Sullivan walked in. She walked into the office after helping with dismissal and smiled upon my arrival. Inviting me into her office, she had an open energy to her as she sat down behind her wooden desk. Her glasses were of and the burgundy dress she wore complimented her figure in every way. The sun glinted in the window and brightened her green eyes and she was happy that a fellow student wanted to get to know her.
Q: Many students don’t really know you’ve been a part of the school system for several years now, what is your history in the school work force?
A: Yes, that is correct I am new to the high school, as you know this is my second year here but I have actually been a part of the district since 1987. I was a part-time Spanish teacher at Lisha Kill and I got the job at the end of summer after I attended SUNY Oswego. My roommate had a job at South Colonie and told me about the job opening and I was interviewed and got the job. I was also a 3rd grade teacher at Saddlewood for 9 years which I loved because I was a first-time mom and we had the summers and holidays off.
Q: Where are you from?
A: You can’t tell? *with excitement* You can’t tell by my accent? C’mon
Q: The city?
A: Yes the city.
Q: The Bronx?
A: Yes the Bronx!
Q: Do you ever miss it?
A: Sure, I miss the bakeries and the pizzerias, I grew up in the Pelham Bay section it’s kind of near the Throngs neck bridge. I’m from an Irish family and there were five girls. My dad is now a retired judge and my mom was a homemaker. And I went to an all-girls high school.
Q: Oh wow, what was that like?
A: It gave me what I carry with me today in terms of values. Things that I cherish, things I like to embark on my own children now. But I was a very shy teenager in high school, so I regret not taking advantage of activities and extracurricular clubs. And you have to remember we didn’t have yellow school buses, we took city buses so I was very nervous about missing my bus and we had to change buses. I had to go on Westchester Square and take the 5 bus. So it was a completely different experience than what Colonie students have today.
Q: Do you know why you were shy?
A: I think we just lacked confidence, we were just shy and timid, all of my sisters and I. And of course being in the Bronx helped me to learn my Spanish.
Q: Did you always know from a young age you wanted to be a part of the school workforce?
A: Yes, I always knew I wanted to be in education, at some capacity, always first and foremost I wanted to be a teacher. In fact, I am going to tell you a short story. In my basement I used to have a blackboard and student desks and a pretend classroom because my Aunt Marie, who’s like a second mom to me, was a school teacher. So she would bring me chalk, and bring me home different things from the school that they no longer needed or was being thrown out and she would give them to me to set up in the basement. So one day she came by and her and my mom were having a cup of tea and she said, “Who is Nora talking to, who does she have down there?” and my mom replied, “Oh those are her imaginary students.” So I always knew I had a passion or being a teacher. And at Oswego they had a great educational program, so I majored in elementary education but my minor was in Spanish. And when I graduation all of the job opportunities or openings were in Foreign language at the time, not so much elementary.
Q: Do you have any hobbies or any other passions?
A: I love to swim, I usually go to the Guilderland Y and jump into a swim lane and it’s just great exercise. And I love to walk, and I love to bike ride, I wish I had more time for leisure reading often times I read one of Oprah’s books on her good reads list, but I just don’t have the time. And of course I love to spend time with my kids.
Q: How many kids do you have?
A: I have three, I have a son Jack who’s twenty, and I have two girls. Caroline who’s a junior at Guilderland High and Emmy she’s a ninth grader.
Q: Do you see any overlaps with being a principal and a being mom?
A: Yes, and I kind of have to wear two hats but yet one hat because my job here is as an assistant principal but a lot of times what helps is that I walk in the shoes of that student. And I put myself I their shoes and I say okay what is really going on here it’s not just Algebra 2/Trig it’s not just Spanish 4 that’s causing this student to make poor decisions or struggle. So yes, I do wear multiple hats and sometimes it helps you be a little more empathetic knowing I’m a mom and I would hope that who was dealing with my son or daughter would be supportive and helpful.
Q: What’s one challenge you’ve seen within yourself as a principal and how did you overcome it?
A: A challenge for me, *pause*
Well I think with anything the more experience you have the more confident you are and you feel in the know. Last year I didn’t know all the policies in place at the school, I didn’t know um, you know the procedures more or less to handle certain situations so I think the first year at anything is always a challenge for anyone entering any field in a new role or new position. When you’re doing it for the first time you’re going to have to face those difficulties or challenges and work through them. Um just being it’s a new and it’s a first and you haven’t done it before. Other challenges… um I would say just balancing it all between work and family. Just something that takes careful attention and you have to be really organized. You know you have to prioritize and schedule your day based on priorities. So that can be a challenge because you have to give it some planning and forethought.
Q: What would you want the females in the Class of 2016 to think of you/ look up to you?
A: Well, I would encourage them and support them to enter any type o leadership role we need women leaders. I mean look right now at the political race, we now have Hillary Clinton, Carly Fiorina who was just featured on the debate very well spoken very successful. We have Christian Gillibrand for one of our senators of NY. So I think it’s a wonderful thing when women set goals and achieve them.
Q: Is there anyone you look up to?
A: Arianna Huffington, I just read one of her books this summer called Thrive. And she is definitely a leader who has overcome obstacles she’s a mother as well and she runs a successful web business, Huffington post. So I would look up to her.
Q: What would you want the student body to know about you not only as a principal but as a person?
A: I would like them to know outside of school I am a hug advocate for finding a cure for breast cancer. I participate in a lot of relays for life and breast cancer awareness organizations because I lost a sister to breast cancer and I have another sister who was diagnosed last year.
