BERKELEY – Sitting down with Central Regional Middle School Principal Joseph Firetto, he spoke about how much education has changed in almost 40 years. The Middle School will certainly change, as he is retiring.
He began his career in 1987 teaching special education and sixth grade in Tuckerton. In 1997, he became assistant principal at an alternate school in Monmouth County.
He’s been Central’s Middle School principal since the 2008-9 school year. That means that anyone who came through that school in the last two decades or so has been influenced by him.
“It really has changed, but kids haven’t changed,” he said.
The most significant thing that’s changed in those years is social media, not surprising as it has changed every aspect of our lives. With young kids, it’s created an entirely new venue for bullying.
“So much takes place outside of school but it impacts kids in school,” he said.
The state is cracking down on cell phone use. Come September, kids won’t be allowed to have them from the starting bell to the dismissal bell.
Most districts already have cell phone policies in place that restrict their use. In Central, for example, they are only supposed to look at their phones during lunchtime.
Besides the social media problems that phones bring with them, they are also hurting kids’ attention span, he said.
That’s one of the reasons that the school has longer blocks for classes, he said. This gives the teachers room to structure a lesson using different tactics instead of lecturing. They can get the kids out of their seats, run short games, or use other methods to engage them.
Studies have shown that breaking up lessons into portions using different skills keeps a student’s attention and lets the information sink in better.
One thing that’s changed for the better is that there is more of a focus on mental health now than ever before, he noted.
“Kids have a lot of emotional and social things going on,” and teachers are more aware now of how that impacts them in all aspects of their lives, not just educationally, he said. There’s a program where teachers mentor children going through tough spots.
His last day will be June 30. “I’m going to miss it,” he said. “We have the greatest staff.”
He gave credit to the assistant principal and the staff for teaching kids not only lessons but how to treat people nicer – in school and outside of school.
“We as grown-ups need to do that more – just be kind to each other,” he said. “It doesn’t cost anything to be nice to each other.”
When asked what he was proud of during his tenure, he pointed to giving others a chance to shine – not just the accolades given to the top students and athletes, but to the creative kids in music and art, or the talent show.
“That was the opportunity for that quiet kid to be in the spotlight,” he said.
Another new initiative was the student recognition awards. Kids scan their IDs when they do good things and it gives them points on a leaderboard. These points can be traded in for rewards.
One thing he’ll miss is his daily rounds, where he got to interact with staff and students. “We get to have those personal moments that shows we are family.”
Living in Bayville, his own three children went through the Central district. Firetto noted that once he even had to suspend his own son. The kids all work in education, as teachers or administrators.
His wife just retired from teaching kindergarten at the H & M Potter Elementary School. So they are looking forward to being retired together, enjoying local summer and “catching up on life.”
With two grandchildren and another on the way, they want to spend as much time as possible with them, which helps since they are local.
During a recent Board of Education meeting, Superintendent Dr. Michelle CarneyRay-Yoder said “Your retirement is well deserved and I will miss you terribly. Thank you for all the hard work you did for Central.”
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