Chatterton's Dana Bermas to take school's reins

Dressed in a navy blue blazer and a flowered shirt, Dana Bermas gently knocked on the door of Melissa O’Donnell’s second-grade class at Chatterton Elementary School in Merrick on a recent Tuesday afternoon. O’Donnell’s students, who were working on Father’s Day projects, enthusiastically welcomed the assistant principal. Kneeling beside the short desks, Bermas looked over the children’s work.

Despite the chaos that can accompany the end of the school year, Bermas often makes time for student interactions like this one, and she will have the opportunity to continue them when she succeeds Cindy Davidowitz as principal on July 1. Davidowitz is retiring this month.

Bermas said she realized that education would be her calling when she was a child. The daughter of a retired teacher, she began learning at an early age.

After many years of higher education, Bermas began her career in 2001, teaching third grade at P.S. 208 in Bayside, Queens. She also got involved in teacher training, staff development and creating the school’s enrichment program.

She became Chatterton’s assistant principal in July 2009. Since then she has developed close relationships with students, parents and staff members.

“My favorite part of the day is always the kids and being with the children,” Bermas said. “The growth that you see from the beginning of the year to the end of the year is tremendous, and that’s always something to be so proud of: when you can look at children and see that you’re making a difference in helping them to grow emotionally, socially and academically.”

The children clearly respect Bermas. “She’s nice,” said Ava Phillips, a Chatterton second-grader. “She helps people, like on Peace and Friendship Day. My brother didn’t want to see the magic show, but she helped him see it.”

“She helps out a lot,” said fifth-grader Colin Abrams. “She keeps the school safe. She walks by the bus in the morning to stop any fighting.”

Having been at Chatterton for five years, Bermas said she hopes to continue the work she has done thus far. Looking at the year ahead, she said she intends to build on the school’s strengths. The ultimate goal, she said, is to help students become lifelong learners.