Q: What is your name and role at Wakefield?

A: [My name is] Malik Bazzell, [I am the] Principal of Wakefield High.

Q: How long have you been an administrator for this school?

A: This will be my eleventh year.

Q: What made you interested in becoming an administrator?

A: I wanted to help students in public schools move up the socioeconomic ladder.

Q: How do you define success as a school leader beyond test scores or numbers?

A: What matters to me most is that students feel connected to the school. Building that community and pride in the school is important to student achievement. 

Q: Have you ever had a “fake it till you make it” moment regarding your confidence entering this career?

A: I was an assistant principal for six years before becoming a principal. At the time I became a principal, that experience made me feel like I would know everything and be prepared for this new role. However, in my first few years [as principal], it took me a while to get a handle on all the moving parts. Where I may have put on a good show for the rest of the school, behind the scenes, I had to collaborate with old mentors and connections to help establish my confidence as a principal. I won’t say that I was scrambling behind the scenes, but I was building the plane as I was flying it. 

Q: What was your favorite class that you took in high school? 

A: [My favorite class was] art. I had a great art teacher who actually tricked me into learning. I’m not an artist, but this teacher would give extra points to people who led tours at the local museum. So each time I wanted more points on my report card, I would study these works of art to give tours, which helped me develop my communication and presentation skills. 

Q: If you could go back in time to give your high school self advice, what would it be?

A: In high school, I knew I was smart, but I didn’t feel the need to prove it to anyone. If I could go back, I would tell myself that doing the work and putting in effort is important, because it builds work ethic, a lesson I had to learn later.  

Q: Is there anything else you would like to add?

A: I think Wakefield is a great school. I’ve never worked in one particular school for so long, and I think it’s great that we have built a supportive community through the exchange of thoughts and ideas.

Q: What is your name, and what is your position at Wakefield?

A: [My name is] Ryan Cummings, [I am an] Assistant Principal. 

Q: How long have you been an administrator for this school?

A: This is my sixth year as an administrator. I transitioned from being a school counselor to high school administration around March 2020. 

Q: What made you interested in becoming an administrator?

A: I’ve always liked helping others, which comes from my counseling background. During my time [as a counselor], I realized I didn’t want to continue on that path until retirement. I wanted to help students as well as teachers, so I thought the administrative route would be a good fit. 

Q: Are there any misconceptions about your role as an administrator that you wish you could refute?

A: The idea that we only deal with discipline problems or “bad kids”. [Administrators] see the good things that our students do as well. Sometimes, we pull students into our offices to congratulate them, or just to catch up, so it’s not always a bad thing to be in an assistant principal’s office. 

Q: How do you define success as a school leader beyond test scores or numbers?

A: We want to prepare students for life after high school, so the most memorable experiences for me are when students come back [to Wakefield] after they have graduated to let teachers and administrators know that they have made a difference. It is nice to realize that we’ve connected with students through the years. 

Q: What was your favorite class that you took in high school?

A: My favorite class [in high school] was SUPA Psychology, a course from Syracuse University similar to AP Psychology. I took that class my senior year of high school, and it inspired me to major in psychology in college, guiding me on the path [to becoming an administrator].  

Q: Is there anything else you would like to add?

A: I enjoy my role here at Wakefield, and I look forward to seeing students grow and succeed in the coming years. 

Q: What is your name and position at Wakefield?

A: [My name is] Heather Acrey, [I am an] Assistant Principal.

Q: How long have you been an administrator for this school?

A: This is my fifth year here.

Q: What made you interested in becoming an administrator?

A: My original degree is in special education, so I have experience working with students with disabilities. Through this, I saw how those students weren’t always advocated for. My belief is that if you do good by those who have the greatest needs, you do good by everybody. I was motivated to step into this leadership role to advocate for all students on a larger scale.

Q: What are some of your hobbies and interests outside of school?

A: I really enjoy reading. I have two sons who are young and play baseball, so I spend a lot of my time on ball fields. 

Q: Do you have a favorite book?

A: I have many favorites. I really enjoy books with political intrigue, like “The Hunger Games” and “Harry Potter.” 

Q: Are there any common misconceptions about your role as an administrator that you wish you could refute?

A: From a student lens, I think it can feel like assistant principals are only here to discipline students, and that we take some kind of joy from that, which is not true. All the administrators here just want to see [students] become successful young people. 

Q: How do you define success as a school leader beyond test scores or numbers?

A: The culture of the school is telling of its success. How our teachers feel about working [at Wakefield] tells administrators how well our school is building a sense of community and security. Among students, success can be seen through their interactions with one another, which again shows the culture and community of the school. 

Q: Have you ever had a “fake it till you make it” moment regarding your confidence stepping into this leadership role?

A: I am not a naturally confrontational person, but having difficult conversations with adults and students is such a big part of this job. Stepping into this role, I really had to find my own voice and learn how to verbalize my thoughts during these conversations. 

Q: What was your favorite class in high school?

A: Band was 100% my favorite class. I was in the marching band, and I played almost anything with a reed, like the clarinet and saxophone. 

Q: What is your name and position at Wakefield?

A: [My name is] Jameil Floyd, [I am an] Assistant Principal.

Q: How long have you been an administrator for the school?

A: This is my fourth year.

Q: What made you interested in becoming an administrator?

A: [When I was a teacher] I was told by my mentors that I could have a greater impact on students if I moved up the ladder into administration.

Q: What are some of your hobbies and interests outside of school?

A: I am a really big sports person. I enjoy [watching and coaching] all kinds of sports, as well as actually getting on the court and playing some tennis and pickleball.

Q: Are there any common misconceptions about your role as an administrator that you wish you could refute?

A: Everyone thinks that all I do is discipline. The majority of my duties actually revolve around student activities, like club planning, graduation, and events on campus. The biggest part of my job is making sure [these activities] are fun and enhance the school culture.

Q: How do you define success as a school leader beyond test scores or numbers?

A: The only way you can truly see the school’s success is in how the students feel when they’re on campus. Over my four years as an administrator here, our clubs have increased in number from 38 to 69 clubs, so we are seeing an increase in student involvement on campus. 

Q: Have you ever had a “fake it till you make it” moment in your career?

A: I am typically a confident person, so I didn’t really struggle with my confidence coming into this career, but there have been times when I have had to fake my energy [for my job]. 

Q: Did you have a favorite class you took in high school?

A: Math has always been my favorite subject. My favorite course, however, was probably calculus. I also really enjoyed AP Government and Band.

Q: If you could go back in time and give your high school self advice, what would it be?

A: I would tell myself not to try to act like I knew everything, and actually put the effort in to learn how to study. I always thought high school was easy, so I really had to learn how to study once I got to college, but other than that, I would not change a thing. 

Q: Is there anything else you would like to add?

A: To anybody who is thinking about administration, I encourage you to start making notes of things that your own administrators do that you do not like, or don’t think are helpful. This will help so much to ensure that you make positive changes in your career.

Q: What is your name and position at Wakefield?

A: [My name is] Denise Colón, [I am an] Assistant Principal

Q: How long have you been an administrator for this school?

A: I have been here for 10 months.

Q: What made you interested in being an administrator?

A: I enjoy being able to make a change, and I noticed that there were many students who needed support, especially in the Latino community. [In an administrative position], I felt that I would be able to implement change and reach a larger group of students.

Q: What are some of your hobbies and interests outside of school?

A: I love swimming, painting, baking and cooking. I especially love to bake cakes and find ways to express my art in that way. 

Q: Are there any common misconceptions about your role as an administrator that you wish you could refute?

A: I wish that people knew that administrators aren’t just out to get students or waiting until they mess up. We love to get to know our teachers, and many of us were teachers ourselves who miss the classroom. We aren’t just the law: we like to get involved with the school and really get to know students and parents. 

Q: How do you define success as a school leader beyond test scores or numbers?

A: I find success in feedback from families. [As a student], I had people in my school community who really helped me out and were able to work with my family. I have tried to continue this on and connect with families in our school community, so just hearing their thanks and them realizing that they have a voice and a seat at the table is the greatest success. 

Q: Have you ever had a “fake it till you make it” moment in your career?

A: [I have those moments] all the time. Some days, it feels like I have imposter syndrome, especially when dealing with behavior problems. Some of the issues that I deal with, I recognize as things that I did when I was in high school, so it can be hard to believe that I am actually in the role of an administrator now. You also sometimes have to fake your energy and make sure that you put your best face forward, not only when dealing with students but also with co-workers, no matter what is going on in your personal life. 

Q: What was your favorite class in high school?

A: [My favorite class was] cinema studies. We watched so many movies in that class, and our teacher focused on explaining the themes of each film. This class was what really made me realize that you can have a lot in common with people who don’t necessarily look like you. Where I grew up, the schools felt very racially segregated, so my community didn’t really allow me to build that sense of global awareness that this class provided for me.