(Photo credit: Tap Into Sparta)
This year, Sparta High School experienced a mid-year administrative change, with a new interim principal, Mr. Cecil Beavers, and a new assistant principal, former World Language/Social Studies supervisor, Mr. Michael Lauricella. Here is what Mr. Beavers and Mr. Lauricella want students to know about themselves and their transition into their new roles.
What would you like students to know about yourselves and your background in education?
Mr. B: I’ve been in education for over 50 years, starting in Roxbury and working in Morris County high schools. I retired in 2004, but Sparta High is the ninth school I have been asked to fill in for. I like keeping busy.
Mr. L: I started my career in education teaching History at Passaic High School. I taught all grades at the high school in my time in Passaic. I left Passaic to take an 8th-grade teaching position in Ridgewood, where I spent 2 years before taking the supervisor position in Sparta. I also worked as a principal for two summers running an international high school with students from Hong Kong, China, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Italy, France, Spain, and Morocco.
What first influenced you to become an educator?
Mr. B: My brother was a teacher, and he was terrific. He inspired me to become an educator.
Mr. L: I first realized I wanted to be an educator after spending a summer, during college, as a camp counselor. I just really enjoyed the camaraderie with kids and teaching kids various things. I also found that I was pretty good at it. Once I got into an education program in college and began doing fieldwork, I remember working in a school in Newark and teaching a lesson and the students had the “light bulb moment.” From there, I was hooked.
In the first few weeks of your principalship, what has been your impression of the SHS Student Body?
Mr. L: The student body is filled with talented and dedicated students who consistently do things that are fair and beyond what I was doing in high school. The diversity in the abilities of the student body is amazing, ranging from academics to athletics to the arts to the many clubs where students excel. I think the student body should know that they have the ear of the administration. Please feel free to tell us how things are going in the school, how things can be better, what things are great, etc.
Mr. B: Students can find me greeting them outside by the main entrance every morning. They arrive out front and come with a sense of purpose, a mission, something to achieve.
Mr. Beavers, as a fresh set of eyes, what are your thoughts on the SHS community?
Mr. B: Sparta High has a variety of curricular offerings and a lot of opportunities for students to prepare them for life after graduation, with classes like culinary and woodshop. There is something for every interest, which is what makes Sparta schools unique from other high schools I’ve worked at.
Mr. Lauricella, what has it been like transitioning from World Language/Social Studies Supervisor to Assistant Principal?
Mr. L: The transition has been great. Despite not having worked directly with all of the staff at SHS, I knew the staff was very talented. Additionally, they have been very welcoming and helpful in my transition. Beyond the staff, the best part of the new job is working more directly with students. It was very different not working with students directly in the previous role.
Is there anything the SHS Student Body can look forward to in the coming months (on behalf of the administration)?
Mr. L: I think the administration, like the previous administration, is looking to support the student body in any way possible. There are a number of events and engagements that have been planned by the teachers prior to me becoming VP that will be taking place in the coming months.
We often see you observing our classes and engaging with students around school practically on a daily basis. What does a school day look like through your eyes?
Mr. B: For now, my personal mission is to get to know all the teachers and their individual teaching styles. The classroom is the heartbeat of the school, so you’ll be seeing me around more often!
Mr. L: Every day looks a bit different. However, I have really been trying to come into classrooms to see all of the great things the teachers in the building are doing on a daily basis. I also want to make sure students begin to see me as a familiar face, so they are
comfortable coming to me if a situation arises where they need assistance.
What can students expect from you (in terms of discipline, school management, etc.?)
Mr. L: Discipline is the least fun part of the job. I think students can expect me to be fair in the discipline I have to give. I truly care about our students, so students can expect me to ask how they are doing and have a conversation with them whenever they are in my office, whether it is for something good or something bad. With regard to school management, students can expect me to be proactive and always looking at ways to make things better for students and staff. The feedback from staff and students is incredibly important as we look at ways to make our school better.
Mr. B: We’re trying to uphold the status quo as much as possible. I plan on working closely with the administration to do what is best for students.
An administration change in the middle of the year must have been difficult. Do you think you’ve adjusted well into the midyear rhythm of Sparta High? From a student’s perspective, it does seem that way.
Mr. B: I do find it a challenge, but an enjoyable challenge at that. I’m enjoying getting to know the teachers and adjusting to the new environment.
Mr. L: I think so. With Mr. Beavers also transitioning midyear, a huge shoutout needs to be given to Mr. Fitzgerald for helping us both get acclimated and up to speed. Additionally, Mrs. Dalton & Mr. Stoner plus the rest of the staff have been incredibly helpful with my transition.
Mr. Lauricella, How was your experience chaperoning the Russia trip this past summer and more recently, Model UN? Do you think it’s important for students to have these kinds of opportunities?
Mr. L: Both experiences were great and both experiences involved a great group of students and a great group of teachers who organized the trips. I think it is incredibly important for students to have these types of opportunities available to them. One of my first priorities, when I got hired in Sparta, was to bring back our international travel program (it had been banned the month before I got hired). I was glad that Dr. Rossi and the BOE agreed with the need to bring the program back.
As I’m sure you’ve seen so far, the Sparta student body likes to be involved in the ‘issues.’ What would you like students to know about your availability to them and what they can come to you for?
Mr. B: Students should know that they can come to us for anything. We plan to work as an administrative team to make the best decisions for students. Everything we do is precedent-setting, so we must consider how it will impact students-- focusing on the long-term over the short-term impact.
Mr. L: The student body should be involved in the issues, so it is great that the Sparta student body likes to be involved. I’d like to remind the student body about differentiating between appropriate and inappropriate methods for involvement. As far as my availability, I’m always available for a discussion about issues in the building. Case in point: I joined Ms. Brennan’s Women’s Studies class last week and had a discussion with the students regarding the dress code. I am happy to replicate that in other classrooms or other forums. Student feedback is incredibly important to us as we are here to serve the student body.
Any advice for students?
Mr. B: All I would say is gain all that you can from your high school experience. You never want to have regrets after graduating. You never want to feel like you ‘could’ve, should’ve, would’ve,’ done something later on in life.
Mr. L: There are so many things I want to say here. I’ll cut it down to 4 items. First, be yourself. High school can be challenging as students try to find themselves and where they fit in the social fabric of the school. However, you’ve got to be yourself. Second, don’t be afraid to ask for help or advice. You don’t have to have all of the answers. Administration and staff are here to support you. Third, take care of yourself. Whether it is getting an extra hour of sleep or eating a bit healthier, it is incredibly important to take care of yourself. Fourth, Sparta High School has many offerings for students. Make sure to take advantage of as many of them that interest you as you can.
Thank you to both Mr. Beavers and Mr. Lauricella for participating in this interview. With their eagerness and dedication, SHS will continue to flourish in academics and extracurriculars alike.
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