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New principal has FLES experience
Ted Mockrish takes over at Edna Louise Spear Elementary School
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Two years ago native Long Islander Ted Mockrish, as the elementary principal at the American School in Kuwait, helped to implement a Spanish language program there in the elementary grades. That on-the-job experience should prove valuable this year as Mockrish, 44, takes the helm at Edna Louise Spear Elementary School in Port Jefferson. Hired over the summer, elementary school principal Mockrish will be one of the key administrators overseeing the first year of a similar Spanish language program, known as FLES or Foreign Language in the Elementary School. Regarding the selection of Mockrish as the new principal, Superintendent Max Riley has said Mockrish's FLES experience was "a point in his favor, one of many."
The introduction of Spanish in grades one through five will "give children exposure" and later "help them learn in upper grades," Mockrish said. According to the new principal, who lived abroad for the last nine years, acquiring an appreciation of other cultures gives children a better perspective on themselves and their own culture.
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| | | New Port Jefferson elementary school principal Ted Mockrish says “parents are a part of student learning” and stressed he has “an open-door policy” when it comes to meeting with them. Photo by D. Willinger. (click for larger version) | |
Mockrish sees his main role as that of supporting classroom teachers to best impact student learning. He said from what he has seen already the teachers in place at the school are "outstanding." Mockrish noted how teacher teams "are pushing each other" and called them "self-motivating."
Mockrish said fourth and fifth graders will have a daily extended period of English Language Arts, where they will follow the Columbia reading and writing curriculum, which folds social science topics into the coursework.
That program is "exceptional," the new principal said. Mockrish described one of its strengths as integrating relevant social studies topics into tasks designed to improve students' reading and writing skills.
Students will travel to different classrooms so that they can learn in a language-rich or math-rich environment, Addressing parent concerns that such a daily schedule could be stressful on young students, Mockrish emphasized the classrooms and schedules have been arranged so the children are literally just "walking across the hall." They would not have to go any long distances, Mockrish assured.
Math instruction time has been increased while science class time will remain the same as in previous years at the elementary school, officials said. However, all elementary science and math teachers this year are certified not only in elementary education but in their subject area as well, Riley said. That is a higher standard than required by the state education department, Riley added.
As for the new curriculum that will be in place this school year at Edna Louise Spear, Mockrish said he believes he is inheriting "a pretty good model," put together by Superintendent Max Riley, Deputy Superintendent Maria Rhianna and interim Principal Marc Rosenbaum, but conceded that like any new system, "there will be things to work out during the year."
"It's a change," said Mockrish. "Part of my job is to help everybody through that change," to see that "children are appropriately challenged in all their subjects." The emphasis in the elementary school will be on 21st century learning or synthesizing knowledge and understanding, Mockrish said.
Mockrish received his certification in elementary administration from Lehigh University in Pennsylvania. Since his hiring, Mockrish has been given a provisional New York state certification. He will need to pass a state exam to earn his permanent certification and said he expects to take that test during the new school year.
Former interim principal Rosenbaum has been hired to stay on in the role of consultant. Riley said Rosenbaum will mentor Mockrish to assure a smooth transition — no assistant principal will be hired. In addition, Rosenbaum's duties include exploring initiatives to improve curriculum, including a study of the International Baccalaureate option — an accelerated college prep curriculum — in use at Commack Middle School and High School, among other area schools. Finally, Rosenbaum has been tasked with creating a district personnel office to deal with staff hiring and recruitment and employee grievances. Riley expects to hire the district's first human resources administrator next July.
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