Following Dr. Ira Pernick’s resignation from his principal position on March 11, Schreiber High School has welcomed an interim principal, Mr. John Lewis.  Because of the atypical timing of Dr. Pernick’s resignation (midyear rather than July 1), the administration felt the presence of an interim principal would be necessary to ensure a smooth transition between Dr. Pernick and  a  new principal. 

Mr. Lewis is no stranger to Schreiber High School—he served as Schreiber’s principal for six years, between 2004 and 2010, until Dr. Pernick was hired.

“We really had an exceptionally open relationship in those days between the administration and all the groups that we serve as administrators,” said Mr. Lewis.

Prior to Schreiber, Mr. Lewis was principal at other schools on Long Island, including Hampton Bays High School, Ward Melville High School, and Mineola High School.  Because of this experience, he felt he had a familiarity with the job, yet he believes each school is different.  Mr. Lewis recognized Schreiber was a high-functioning school, so making sure teachers’ voices were heard was a necessity.

Mr. Lewis also ensured students’ voices were being heard and had an impact on school policies.

“I had a number of groups that I met with regularly to get input before decisions were made.  By nature, I am a sharer, so very often I would talk to these constituencies,” said Mr. Lewis. 

Mr. Lewis  initiated the Senior Experience program during his last two years at Schreiber.  Senior Experience can be completed  in a number of ways, whether by taking specific courses designated for the program—such as Film and Literature, Financial Algebra, or any one of the three themed Participation in Government and Economics courses—or by conducting an independent study.  The motivation for this program was to expand the realm of student opportunity outside of Schreiber and give students a way to  actively participate in the world around them in a way that is exciting and relevant.

“What I’m really focusing on is opening up some avenues for conversation,” said Mr. Lewis regarding his goals for assisting in the selection of the new Schreiber principal. To help with the search for the new principal, Mr. Lewis has convened three focus groups for parents, teachers, and students in order to develop a list of characteristics they each want to see in Schreiber’s next leader.

“People and conditions and communities change. This was a golden opportunity for conversation coming off a principal who has been here for over a decade,” said Mr. Lewis. 

The focus groups not only served the purpose of giving Superintendent of Schools Dr. Michael Hynes and Assistant Superintendent for General Administration Mr. Chris Shields a teacher- and family-based perspective on what is necessary for a prospective candidate to become successful, but also opened up communication.  One of the continuities in the opinions of the focus groups was the desire for a higher level of collaboration in Schreiber.

“There needs to be more focus on the problems that we see and the process of decision making that goes into solving these problems. My final goal is to be able to spend some time with the principal once he or she is chosen and present the principal with not only my thinking with my time as a long-term principal but also from the teachers who have a sense of need in terms of changes,” said Mr. Lewis.  

One of the changes Mr. Lewis mentioned was that the district needed to do additional teacher hiring.  Too many students are getting turned away from classes because of the lack of teachers available for specific courses, and especially in a school as large as Schreiber, the academic benefits available to students would be widened greatly.

“I’m a little worried about the class size too, and I want to serve in the process of studying that right now, as the master schedule for all the classes is being built for next year, and I’d like to give some recommendations about that,” said Mr. Lewis.

Having held five different principalships in his lifetime, Mr. Lewis understands what it is to go into a job without a proper understanding of the dynamics or issues present in the school.

“In four out of five of those situations, there was no transitional plan or hardly even any conversation with me coming into the new job.  In a high functioning environment like Schreiber, that is dangerous,”said Mr. Lewis. 

Mr. Lewis’ dedication to ensuring the transition from Dr. Pernick to the next principal shows unique care for Schreiber’s students, whom he admires.  By going to events and observing classes, Mr. Lewis has noticed that students show even more social consciousness and interest in the world than he saw in his years here, which he believes to be indicative of the strength of the high school and the dedication of the teachers and students to making the world a better place.

“It gives us confidence in the future when we see such devotion to larger causes. That is the purpose of the school experience, is to widen your horizons, and I have always felt out of all the high schools I have served as principal or taught in that this is a very special school,” said Mr. Lewis. 

On Mar. 11, the posting for the principal job closed.  By that time, the administration had received around 60 applicants, and the interview process began shortly afterward.  Eleven applicants were screened by the central office over Zoom, and this narrowed the pool of possible candidates down to three.  This month, a series of committees (administrators, parents, and teachers) will meet with each of the finalists, the information they have to offer will be given to Dr. Hynes, and the final decision will be made.  According to Dr. Hynes, a successful candidate should be appointed by the board no later than the end of April.  After discussing the requirements for the new principal with Assistant Principal Mr. David Miller, it was clear his opinions aligned with those of Mr. Lewis.

“I think it is critical that a good principal is collaborative, that they are listeners.  I think the first thing any principal has to do is come in, be mindful of the things that they value, be mindful of the things that we value, and then be an educational leader and visionary,” said Mr. Miller.

With the collaboration of Mr. Lewis and the staff and families of Schreiber , the principal chosen will likely reflect the values of communication and inclusiveness vital to the school and create a shared vision for the years to come.