New Dorp High School principal retires after 23 years: ‘I loved the commitment’

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — In 1999, Deirdre DeAngelis-D’Alessio entered New Dorp High School as principal for the first time. Last month, she retired from the New York City Department of Education (DOE).

There was complete silence when she told her school staff she would be retiring after nearly 23 years as principal of the high school.

“I announced it to the staff on Dec. 9 and there was complete, complete silence in the auditorium,” DeAngelis-D’Alessio said with tears. “I don’t know, it was weird. Then people started crying. Everybody was kind of sad for the whole month of January.”

The former principal called the school community a “family.”

“It’s hard. This is a big transition. You go full force for — I think I worked every single summer. So I think I’ve worked straight through since the beginning of high school, maybe even earlier, where I had a summer job… So like going straight through and then all of a sudden, stopping short this past week. Just hard.”

A CAREER START IN BROOKLYN

DeAngelis-D’Alessio was first introduced to a career in schools while studying at New York University. She was part of a program that provided financial aid counseling to high school seniors at her former high school, John Dewey High School in Brooklyn. By the end of her junior year of college, she switched her major to education and became a school aide at the high school.

She kicked off her 38-year career as an educator for the DOE at John Dewey in 1984. She then became the assistant principal at the High School of Telecommunications Arts & Technology in Brooklyn.

She started at New Dorp High School as principal on March 1, 1999, retiring last month.

DeAngelis-D’Alessio also made sure that New Dorp High School was prepared for her retirement — working with new interim acting principal Seth Schoenfeld for weeks to ensure a smooth transition.

Her retirement from the DOE will allow her to spend more time with her family, especially her son, who is currently playing baseball for Princeton University.

STAYING AT NEW DORP FOR 23 YEARS

During her time as principal, many opportunities presented themselves to move to a new position within the DOE­ — but she stayed put at New Dorp.

“I know why I stayed,” she said. “I stayed because the community was really important to me. There was a lot of work to be done and I really -- there was a point where I had actually told people at the DOE that I would be more effective to them as a principal because they could consult with me about what was going on, on the ground … I stayed because it was important work that we were doing.”

DeAngelis-D’Alessio said the school piloted several initiatives within the DOE, like the Hochman Method writing, small-learning communities, restorative justice programs, the virtual enterprise program, and many other technology initiatives.

Providing consistency to the school community and staff was important, she said. Being a principal means making sacrifices, DeAngelis-D’Alessio said, but it was a career she loved.

“I just loved being a principal,” she explained. “I loved the pace. I loved the commitment. I loved having students and staff realize that they were capable of anything. I loved letting them see through data that all of their efforts, all their hard work, all of their collaboration yielded huge things for them.”

She pointed to low graduation rates when she first started as principal, at around 55% in 2004 or 2005. When the high school shifted into small learning communities in 2006, she said graduation rates went up. In accordance with that shift, staff worked to modify curriculum, improve instruction and strategies in the classroom, and build skills for students.

According to the most recent DOE data, 87% of students at New Dorp High School graduated in 2020.

Additionally, attendance rates also improved and the student register doubled.

MILESTONES AND MAJOR EVENTS

DeAngelis-D’Alessio has been principal during difficult events that affected the entire Staten Island community, such as: the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001; Hurricane Irene and Hurricane Sandy; the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

“During Hurricane Sandy, when over 400 families were affected in my school and we were delivering food and clothing and supplies to people’s homes. We became the core of this area of Staten Island in terms of supplies and support,” she said.

“Then fast forward to COVID, and I had staff coming here to pick up stuff in my house to deliver to students -- laptops, and supplies and senior wear and senior signs, and we just did everything we could to keep the community together. And we did, and the reason we were able to was because we already had that structure in place.”

In 2009, DeAngelis-D’Alessio was diagnosed with breast cancer and continued to work; she is now cancer-free.

But the former prinicipal also recalled the great times of celebrations during her time at New Dorp — such as big acceptances to colleges, including Ivy Leagues and the City University of New York’s (CUNY) Macauley Honors program. She pointed to the success of the virtual enterprise program, the high school’s mock trial and the sports teams.

She even made headlines when she went into labor at New Dorp High School. The Advance/SILive.com visited DeAngelis-D’Alessio at Staten Island University Hospital shortly after she gave birth to her son.

She referred to it as a moment that showed other female educators that they can raise a family and continue working.

‘ONE OF A KIND’

The success at New Dorp High School is something that came over time, she explained. Data showed improvement, programs grew stronger, as well as connections with the community.

“I think that’s why I stayed,” she said. “And then as a community we helped each other during some really tough times … It was a family. It’s still a family.”

Dr. Marion Wilson, superintendent for Staten Island’s District 31, said that DeAngelis-D’Alessio is “a force to be reckoned with.”

“She is truly one of a kind … She exemplifies and exudes the brilliance, passion, dedication needed to run a large comprehensive high school.”

Wilson said that in 2018, she interviewed some graduates of New Dorp High School. Overwhelmingly, the students shared how DeAngelis-D’Alessio took a personal interest in their lives. One student said she wouldn’t have gone to college if it weren’t for her.

Another graduate explained that her college roommate died, and DeAngelis-D’Alessio called to check in with her.

“Even after they graduate, she maintains a close relationship with them,” Wilson said. “I had the opportunity to visit her school and the work she had students doing are preparing them for college. She has high expectations for all of her students. I admire her as a leader, respect her for her humanity, and love her for her passion as an extraordinary educator!”

DeAngelis-D’Alessio was also recently awarded the Patrick F. Daly Award last October — one of many awards the principal has received over the last two decades.

The award was established shortly after its namesake’s death 29 years ago, and honors Daly’s legacy of service to the community, a steadfast commitment to students and leadership. It is presented to two educators who exemplify the values of the fallen principal, who was gunned down in Red Hook, Brooklyn while searching for a student who had left the school building.

“Deirdre’s approach to her work is identical to Principal Daly. Just as he walked through the Red Hook Projects to assist a student, Deirdre drove to homes of her students during a pandemic,” said Tim Gannon, who nominated the principal for the award. “Deirdre is the same type of leader as Principal Daly. His legacy is her legacy. Deirdre is the best of Staten Island, as was Principal Daly.”

A retirement party is being held for DeAngelis-D’Alessio on April 13 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Hilton Garden Inn. For payment information, call 718-667-8686 and ask for Cindy Disalvo.

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