Monday, December 2, 2024
Max Trunz, of Long Beach, found his purpose in life: to help and teach others. He got introduced to it as a teen, studied it in school and has made it his career.
Trunz, 36, recently took the next step in that career, being named assistant principal of the Nassau BOCES Rosemary Kennedy School in Wantagh, which is designed for students with moderate to severe developmental disabilities. He was officially hired in January, but is in his first year in the role.
“I’m still just learning a lot about the program,” Trunz said about the transition into his new role. “But I’ve really been encouraging teachers and everyone else to build relationships with students as the main priority.”
Trunz’s first experience working with children with special needs when he was a student at Hauppauge High School. One of his neighbors had a child with autism who was about five or six years younger than him, and they needed respite work, so they reached out to Trunz. A respite worker is someone who steps in as a caregiver when the primary caregiver needs a break.
After earning his degree in finance and business administration from Sacred Heart University in Connecticut, he quickly learned that wasn’t for him. He went back to school, earning his master’s in special education from LIU Post. During that time, he began working at the Brookville Center for Children’s Services.
While there, he was introduced to the field of applied behavior analysis, or ABA. He then decided to also get his certification as a BCBA, or a board-certified behavior analyst.
“Having a BCBA is a really big deal,” he said. “It’s extra coursework, and it’s hours of supervision and not every program has it. So, that was a really powerful thing for me to get early on in my career.”
After completing all that, he took a teaching position at The Riverview School 277Q in Queens. He did that for a year before becoming a behavior management socialist and school-based BCBA there.
His schooling and education journey didn’t end there, though. He started taking classes again. This time through the College of Saint Rose in Albany.
“I started going to school for admin,” Trunz said. “The purpose of that was to just have an impact on a larger scale within schools and help make decisions that are going to benefit students program-wide.”
When the position opened up at the Nassau BOCES Rosemary Kennedy School, he didn’t waste any time. He applied, interviewed and got the job. It’s been a learning experience for him, jumping from private school to public school. It’s been a lot of learning, but he’s enjoyed every moment of it.
“I try to always just remember that, with any situation that comes up, it always comes down to, ‘am I making a decision that has a positive impact on the kids in the program?,’ he said. “I just try to remember that, and that helps keep me in line and helps me stay calm.”
Trunz moved to Long Beach in 2014. He first rented a place in the West End with some roommates for about five years. He then met his wife, settled down, and they bought a house in the canals in 2020. They had their first son in 2022, and now have their second on the way.
Since Trunz moved to Long Beach, he also developed a passion for ocean and surf photography. He finds the city offers great waves and sunsets that everyone can enjoy.
