Hillside's New Asst. Principal Confident in Facing Challenges

No one's immune to first-day-of-school jitters; not even the principal.

“Basically, I’m just trying to learn as much as I can about the Cranford school system and Hillside Avenue School,” said new Assistant Principal Julie Saccente. This will be Saccente’s first year working in Cranford.

“I think that this year is a big learning year,” said Saccente. “I want to make sure I can really find out what the parents of Cranford want, what the community of Cranford wants, what the students’ interests are, what the school truly needs, and really just meeting with [Principal Dr. Curt Fogas] to figure exactly what I can take that’s already here and improve upon it.”

Saccente comes to HAS from Manalapan, where she taught middle school social studies for five years. This will be her first time in an administrative position, and although she acknowledges the challenges, she feels she can do plenty of good as an assistant principal.

“Administration has that special job of being…that hub of communication between guidance counselors, parents, teachers, students, and figuring out what they need,” said Saccente. “I also just love the professional development aspect [of the job].”

Saccente credits her years as a teacher for preparing her for an administrative career

“I think you definitely have to be a teacher before being an administrator,” she said. “There’s so many valuable lessons you learn as a teacher to prepare you; and to relate to the teachers you have to have been in the classroom.”

Saccente said she will miss developing close relationships with small groups of students the most. She recognizes that getting to know the kids without the benefit of having a teacher's constant interaction will be more difficult as a principal, but she is willing to put in the work to do just that.

She said she already feels welcome in Cranford.

“When I think of Cranford, I think of a family,” she says. “It has that close-knit vibe that you don’t get in a lot of other places. When I was in Manalapan, I truly felt that I was part of the family, and from the minute I started interviewing [in Cranford] I felt that same connection."

Saccente has a lot of work to do, but is focusing on one issue at a time. Her most important duty at the start of the school year, she feels, is connecting with students, parents and staff, and to “let them know that I am here to work with them and for them.”

“Together,” said Saccente, “I think that we can create a wonderful year for the students.”