West Hempstead High School needs principal with 'vested interest'

Loraine Magaraci’s oldest son, Joseph, had four different principals throughout his time at West Hempstead High School. Magaraci’s daughter, Ashley, will be on her second principal this fall as she enters the 10th grade at WHHS.

This, for Magaraci, is a serious problem. “I really don’t know the reason why this is happening, but I can tell you that I think we need to find a good fit,” she said.

West Hempstead’s most recent principal, Frank Viterriti, who joined the school in November 2009 and left abruptly without explanation earlier this month, was not a good fit, according to Magaraci.

“What I would like to see in a principal — I want somebody who’s going to come in and care, and say ‘This is my building,’ like the building is their home,” Magaraci said. “They’re going to care about the students and they’re going to care about the staff and they’re going to care about the parents. They’re going to have a vested interest.”

That is exactly the type of person district Superintendent John Hogan is searching for. Hogan said he shares the goals of the community, parents and district educators: “to find the best possible candidate and the best possible principal for West Hempstead High School who will lead the building for many years to come.”

Hogan did not elaborate on the reasons the last four principals failed to work out, saying “it doesn’t really do us any good to relive the past,” and instead said central administration is working with a 14-person interview committee made up of administrators, teachers and PTA representatives to find the right principal. So far, the school has received 40 resumes. While administrators want to fill the position as soon as possible, they will take their time to follow proper procedure.