The Principal's Office celebrates five years

With this week’s column, the Principal’s Office begins its sixth year. It’s time to look backward as well as forward. But first, a few thank yous are in order. Scott Brinton has not only been my editor, but has also become a friend and sounding board for new ideas. Executive Editor John O’Connell has always been a prime supporter and booster. And my gratitude to publishers Cliff and Stuart Richner who gave me the opportunity to join the Herald family.

I also want to mention all the other local editors. This column originated in Merrick and Bellmore and over the past five years has been picked up by other newspapers.

Finally, I want to acknowledge you, the readers, for your comments and feedback. Thanks to the mugshot that appears with every column, from the bagel store to the supermarket, I often get stopped by people who are not shy to tell me their reactions to things I have written. Working for the chain of the Herald Community papers has been a most rewarding five years.

After almost 200 columns, we have investigated literally scores of topics, from the controversial to the informative -- with an occasional humorous piece thrown in. Up until this year, the “big three” series, as far as reader response is concerned, were: “Study Tips, Tricks, and Techniques That Really Work”; “Child and Teen Suicide Prevention”; and “How To Survive the Campaign for College Admissions.”

However, this year a new subject went to the head of the class. After catching the tail end of a broadcast interview with John Halligan, whose son Ryan had committed suicide after being bullied to death, I contacted him for an interview. John agreed to speak with me — and poured our his heart. What started as a single column turned into a six-part series. The response from parents of children who had been bullied— and from those who suspected that their children were doing the bullying—was heart-wrenching. As a matter of fact, the Hadassah organization is contemplating a forum on bullying later this year, with local psychologist Dr. Matthew Pulewitz as its keynote speaker.