Kussin said he loved education, but a part of him always wondered what might have happened had he stayed at CBS News Radio, as his producers had encouraged him to do.

Apparently, there really are second chances in life. The station recently hired Kussin as part of its team of on-air talent. Kussin now anchors CBS’s “Eye on Education” feature, a short segment that airs weekdays at 4:53 a.m., 1:41 p.m. and 10:41 p.m. Kussin will continue in his role as the Herald’s education columnist.

Tim Scheld, director of news and programming for CBS News Radio, said Kussin “is a great communicator. He is also very passionate about this subject. His decades of experience give him great context into the subject matter he is dealing with. That’s a perfect fit for WCBS 880, where experience and context are important. We’re thrilled he’s part of our team.”

Kussin, a 32-year Merrick resident, credited his parents, Lou and Bea, both teachers, with sparking his interest in education. “They were my inspiration,” he said. “They lived and breathed education.”

Kussin piloted six one-minute segments on education for WCBS in November 2009, but was not hired at the time. He stayed in touch with Scheld over the next year, however.

The news director eventually called with a proposal for Kussin to do his own regular feature. Kussin said he was floored — and ecstatic. He went on the air for the first time on Feb. 7. “I can’t believe this is happening,” he said. “I never dreamed I’d be doing this at this point in my career. I listen to the news day and night. This is a dream. I’m a news junkie.”

Kussin tapes his segments on his home computer and transmits them via the Internet to WCBS. “They’ve given me such a warm welcome” at the radio station, he said.

Kussin has written a weekly column for Herald Community Newspapers since 2005 on education topics ranging from high school scheduling to teen suicide, attracting thousands of readers. He also teaches broadcasting at the Hofstra University School of Communications. And he wrote a book for secondary-school administrators, “How to Build a Master Schedule in 10 Easy Steps,” which was published by Corwin Press. The text has led Kussin to consulting jobs in school districts around the country.