Ave Maria Catholic Academy’s new principal, Anthony Russo, standing in a hallway of his Howard Beach school. Forum Newsgroup photo by Ryan Lavis.
As the board of directors at Ave Maria Catholic Academy in Howard Beach gave their new principal, Anthony Russo, a tour of the school after he landed the job this past August, he said walking around the blue-painted hallways for the first time was just like returning home.
“I felt warmth from the moment I stepped into the building,” Russo said during an interview with The Forum on Monday – a little over a month into his position. “I’ve worked in many schools before, but the faculty, kids and parents here are some of the most welcoming I’ve ever experienced.”
And when it comes to both teaching and serving as an administrator, Russo has plenty of experience.
He started his career in 1973 at Bishop Kearney High School in Brooklyn, teaching Science there for about ten years and eventually becoming the school’s Science chairperson. While there, he obtained his certificate in school administration.
After that, he spent over twenty years as a teacher and school administrator in Nassau County, working in grammar and high schools throughout Seaford, Lawrence and Lynbrook. But despite making the transition from instructor to administrator, Russo said the teacher part of him never left.
“Being in the classroom with the kids is always the best part. I still love getting into the classroom and teaching any chance I get.” He currently serves as an Adjunct Instructor of Human Anatomy and Physiology at Kingsborough Community College – “teaching there is sort of my therapy,” he said.
Last year, Russo served as the principal of Brooklyn Jesuit Prep in Crown Heights, but was forced out of that position after a school merger. As he floated into semi-retirement –spending his days as a part- time teacher and full-time grandfather – Russo said he received word from the Archdiocese of an opening at Ave Maria. He applied, got the job and hit the ground floor running.
“Taking this position is something I really wanted to do. After having so many great experiences teaching, I feel like I can now take all that experience and apply it to this already fabulous environment.”
Russo said that school enrollment has gone up about five students since he came on in mid-August, with 229 students total going into this school year. School officials said that number was about the same as last year.
But Russo said he hopes to one day get those numbers into the 300’s – “It would be a neat thing getting those numbers up. And the only way that’s going to happen is through word-of-mouth from parents. They’re really the key.”
Even at a time when the Archdiocese continues to face shrinking enrollment and school closures, Russo said he’s optimistic of Ave Maria’s future. In 2011, 27 schools were closed due to low enrollment numbers, according to the Archdiocese of New York.
The Archdiocese of Brooklyn and Queens is currently implementing a complete overhaul of its Catholic schools to help turn the tide of low enrollment and diminishing funds. The plan – called “Preserving the Vision” – sets out to turn all Catholic elementary schools in Brooklyn and Queens into academies by 2017.
Russo said this plan will involve the merger of different Catholic schools, noting that such a plan could help reduce redundancies and allow for more funds to flow into the schools for various programs.
“You can make better use of funds when you reallocate them to just one school rather than three,” he said. “If you merge these schools, it frees up money so you can put it towards other things.”
But that’s a solution Russo said will take time and effort from those in charge to perfect. As for now, he’s mostly focused on serving his school, as he runs around from classroom to classroom, learning how it operates on a daily basis.
“My job from the time classes starts to the time classes end is not to be here in my office. If I did that, I might as work on Wall Street,” he said. “That’s not this job. To do this job you have to be out there with the kids and teachers, acting like a sponge and absorbing how everything works.”
By Ryan Lavis
