School News

Seaford finds new assistant principal one town over

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Three new assistant principals have joined the Seaford School District this year and the most recent hire was found just a zip code away.

Thomas Burke was appointed the new middle school assistant principal on Sept. 4 and his first day on the job was the following Monday. He comes to Seaford after an 11-year teaching career in Wantagh.

In less than two weeks on the job, he already has found a new home in Seaford. “It’s a good community,” he said. “Everyone’s been welcoming. It seems like they’re excited to have me, and I’m excited to be here.”

Burke may have grown up the son of a police officer, but he said he knew early on that his calling was teaching. He grew up in Wantagh and graduated from MacArthur High School in 1999. At Molloy College, he earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education. Burke went on to earn both his master’s degree in secondary education and an administrative certificate from St. John’s University.

During his first five years at Wantagh, he taught fifth grade at Mandalay Elementary School. He spent the past six years teaching sixth grade social studies and English at Wantagh Middle School.

He said he enjoys the middle school level because it is a cross between elementary and secondary education.

During his three interviews for the position in Seaford, Burke said he quickly got a sense that it is a community where its educators care about students. The teachers and administrators, he said, are all on the same page.

At the middle school, he will oversee the social studies, math, special education and family and consumer sciences departments. Burke will attend meetings and conduct teacher observations. Discipline will also be part of his role, and he said his goal will be to make students understand their mistakes and become better citizens.

“It’s very different,” he said of moving from teacher to administrator. “It’s a lot more management. It’s very different when you’re sitting behind a desk as opposed to standing in front of a classroom.”

Sitting at his desk is not a task Burke plans to do often. He said he wants to be out and about in the school, interacting with students and seeing teachers in action.

One of the easiest parts about the transition, Burke said, has been working with Principal Daniel Smith. He noted that Smith creates a positive atmosphere in the school, and knows how to treat students.

“He’s been great,” Burke said. “I’m learning a lot from him.”

Burke added that he also learned a lot from his supervisors in Wantagh. He said he got a hunger for administration when he was able to lead a teacher training session about a reading and writing initiative. From there, he realized he wanted to expand his horizons and help a great number of students and teachers.

Smith is glad to have Burke on board. He said Burke’s experience at the elementary level and in working with other teachers will be an asset to Seaford Middle School.

“He seems to have a good global idea of what a school is,” Smith said. “He thinks beyond a classroom. He’s going to be a fine addition to our building.”

Burke’s goal is to leave a mark on Seaford Middle School, and bring out the best in both students and teachers. Burke described himself as honest and fair.

Outside of school, family is Burke’s life. He has two children, Sofie, 4, and Liam, 2. His wife is a psychologist in the Garden City School District, and his brother teaches at MacArthur. In his spare time, he likes to run, and completed the Long Island half-marathon last year.

Burke said he aspires to be a principal in the future, but Seaford is where he wants to be for a long time to come.

Among Burke’s new peers this year are Jessica Sventoraitis, a new assistant principal at the high school, and Caroline Schozer, the elementary assistant principal. “We all have similar goals, similar work ethics,” he said. “We’re all excited to be a part of the Seaford community.”