Stirling ready, eager to lead District 30

Since his early days in the education field, Dr. Nicholas Stirling dreamed of becoming a superintendent. Two weeks ago, his dream was realized when he was appointed as the new leader of Valley Stream District 30.

Stirling’s first day on the job was Monday after tying up loose ends in Port Washington, where he was the assistant superintendent for curriculum, instruction and assessment for five years. He got his start in White Plains as a high school business teacher and cooperative education coordinator, where he helped students find job placements.

After 11 years in White Plains, which included a stint as an elementary school assistant principal, he took a job as a high school assistant principal in Greenburgh Central School District 7. That job only lasted two years because he was tapped to lead one of the district’s elementary schools.

During his seven-year tenure as principal, he established an International Baccalaureate program at the elementary level. His school was also recognized by the state as a high achieving/gap closing school.

Stirling grew up in Queens and earned a bachelor’s degree in business and business education from SUNY Albany. He has been in leadership positions for a long time. In high school, he was class president, and in college he was a resident assistant and quad director. Those positions, Stirling said, taught him how to manage large groups of people, plan events and work within a budget.

Coming to Valley Stream

Stirling was chosen from a pool of nearly 80 applicants to lead the 1,500-student elementary district. Despite a superintendent vacancy in Port Washington, he said the job in Valley Stream proved to be ideal. “I’ve been looking for the opportunity to be a superintendent,” he said, “and this one just came along at the right time.”

Before applying to District 30, Stirling did his homework. He said he was very impressed with the high level of achievement in the district and the emphasis on student learning. “This is a school district that is focused on students and their futures,” he said, “and I’m somebody who looks very much forward to being part of the team to continue that trend.”

Stirling said he also likes that the district has a comprehensive strategic plan in place that outlines goals for the next five years. He said one of his first objectives will be to make sure that plan is carried out. Ultimately, he wants to build upon the strengths of the district and encourage collaboration among the different groups in the school community.

The people of the District 30 community have impressed Stirling so far. He said the Board of Education is a group of professional, dedicated and focused individuals who want what’s best for the students. And the parents, he said, are strongly invested in the education of their children.

He described his leadership style as collaborative, and wants to ensure that teachers receive the right support. Stirling said it is important that teachers receive meaningful professional development, and have input on the type of training they are receiving. “You need to provide that type of support for them to stay current and on the cutting edge,” he said.

Stirling said that coming to a small district should give him the opportunity to have more one-on-one interaction with teachers than he did in Port Washington, which has seven schools and about 5,300 students. There, Stirling was in charge of six curriculum directors, and the elementary school reading, math resource and gifted and talented teaches. He also worked closely with the principals.

His belief is that every child can learn. He is also a strong supporter of the arts, and wants to find ways to integrate that more into the core subjects.

Stirling enjoys traveling and has been to about 60 countries and more than 100 cities during his life, both for business and pleasure. In his travels, he has learned about many different cultures and educational systems. “I believe it’s one of the best ways to become educated about self and the world,” he said.

There are many challenges facing education today, Stirling explained. The biggest is how to fund schools in the age of diminishing resources. Another is finding time to give teachers the proper training.

He looks forward to working closely with leaders from the other Valley Stream school districts, to learn about how they deal with these challenges. Having four districts so closely connected lends itself to more cooperation, and provides opportunities to share ideas.

Stirling said once the school year starts, he plans to be very visible in the schools and wants to get to know the students and families. “I believe in relationships,” he said, “and the development of actual positive relationships.”