THE CLASSIC
September 2016
1
TOWNSEND HARRIS HIGH SCHOOL AT QUEENS COLLEGE
September 2016 - Volume 33 No. 1
THE CLASSIC
THE CLASSIC
new year, new principal
Mr. Barbetta moves to RFK after four years by Ilyssa Delos Reyes & Sumaita Hasan, Editors-In-Chief
Mrs. Jahoda settles in to her new office.
PHOTO BY ADAM SOSNICKI
Rosemarie Jahoda becomes first female principal of THHS by Ilyssa Delos Reyes & Sumaita Hasan, Editors-In-Chief THIS YEAR, Townsend Harris High School will be welcoming its new interim acting principal, Rosemarie Jahoda, following the departure of former Principal Anthony Barbetta. She comes to the school from The Bronx High School of Science, where she was the Assistant Principal of Mathematics. Ms. Jahoda found the Townsend Harris atmosphere “warm and welcoming,” adding that she already feels at home. “I’m proud and honored to be part of this caring and thoughtful learning community. I’m looking forward to...building on the many strengths of THHS in collaboration with all members of the school community,” she said. On her time at Bronx Science, Ms. Jahoda commented, “My nine years of experience as an instructional leader of an academic department consisting of 26 teachers and as an active member of a school cabinet provided me the opportunity to positively impact on the learning experience of approximately 3,000 students.” She cited her work in developing a sequence of computer science courses at Bronx Science as a key component of her record. As for Townsend Harris, she is similarly interested in developing course sequences for students.
As principal, she plans to learn “about the types of courses that excite and interest THHS students in an effort to provide them with course options that would most benefit them.” In addition, she plans to spend her first year conducting “a listening tour to gather information from students, staff and parents.” Ms. Jahoda has already met with many of the school’s clubs
www.thhsclassic.com
to gain a better understanding of what students need. She described, “Students have shared with me their frustration with the course selection process. For example, many seniors who selected AP Psychology as their first choice were not programmed for the course. I believe that programming should be primarily driven by student course requests. The course selection process and
programming is an area of focus this year.” When asked if she had been met with any other challenges, Ms. Jahoda responded, “A school budget that has prompted the loss of numerous positions in recent years is our greatest challenge. Advocating for additional resources and strategically managing our budget so that we can best serve THHS students is a priority.”
Photo by Vanesa Martinez ‘13
Mr. Barbetta in his office for his first interview with The Classic
FORMER PRINCIPAL Anthony Barbetta will now move on and become the new principal of Robert F. Kennedy Community High School. Mr. Barbetta thanked students, staff, and parents for making his job “fun, challenging, and exciting.” He cited the school’s ratings at the city, state, and national level as hallmarks of his four year tenure, while also referencing achievements like the addition of new Advanced Placement courses. “Leaving THHS was a very difficult decision. I enjoy working with students and will continue to do so. I think being a principal is the greatest job in the world. Being able to influence a school and have an impact on students’ lives is an incredible responsibility, something that I take seriously and with enthusiasm,” he said. When describing his overall experience here at THHS, Mr. Barbetta noted, “I had a wonderful and memorable experience. I will miss the tremendous relationships I developed within the community and the strong collaboration with the Assistant Principals and faculty.” “There are many memories that I will take away. The events, such as Founder’s Day, Election Simulation, SING!, FON, The Phoenix readings, the interviews with The Classic, the sports dinners and, of course, graduations were always fun and exciting. The many competitions I looked forward to attending include Science Olympiad, Robotics, Mock Trial, and the sporting events. A special memory was when I attended the landmark designation of the childhood home of THHS alum Jonas Salk with colleagues and students. Another fond memory is participating in two school plays,” Mr. Barbetta described. Commenting on her experience working with Mr. Barbetta, Assistant Principal Veronica York remarked, “It’s always sad to see someone you are close with leave. I consider Principal Barbetta a colleague and a friend, I wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors.”
CONTINUED ON PG 3