With only a few weeks before the bell at Fitzgerald Elementary School rings for the first time, the new Assistant Principal Shane McCracken is still learning.
"We've had a lot of inventory. We've had a lot of curriculum and materials and supplies that have been delivered throughout the summer," he said. "I've been meeting with new teachers, practicing using the new PA system and I sat down with (Principal) Alice Shull and talked about how we're going to do divide up the administrative responsibilities through out the year."
He started work July 1.
"Since he was hired he's been working with me from morning until night. He hit the ground running," she said. "He's willing to do everything and anything that needs to be done to open up a new school and get ready for the start of a new school year."
Shull said she and McCracken are still figuring out how to divide up responsibilities.
"Essentially with each administrative task that's being done we'll sit down, talk it through and decide who is responsible for what," she said.
Shull described McCracken as a "high energy person" that's "already accomplished a lot it the short time he's been here."
A graduate of Providence College, McCracken was born in Attleboro and lives with his two teenage children, both students at North Attleborough High School.
McCracken said he's been an elementary school teacher in Attleboro Public Schools for the past 10 years. Becoming an assistant principal is a natural progression, he said.
"It is something that my colleagues, my parents and principals I've worked for, suggested I consider and think about," he said. "Secondly, it's sort of a natural compulsion to want to advance after teaching a little more than a decade ... thinking about the long term and advancement and taking on a new challenge."
McCracken said while teaching, he eventually became certified for an administrator's license to become an assistant principal through the Massachusetts Elementary School Principals Association.
McCracken said his work as a teacher will help him in his new role.
"My 10 years of experience in the classroom puts me in the position to talk to teachers if they have questions about issues of learning, whether it's classroom management or whether it's a question about Massachusetts curriculum framework," he said.
McCracken said he is excited to begin work in a new school.
"It's a gorgeous setting in a nice Waltham neighborhood with a nice park on the other side of the building," he said. "I think for all of the students and staff, it's an uplifting and beautiful place to learn and teach."
McCracken said working in a city and working with Shull attracted him to the position.
"One good thing about it is that Alice is a great person to work with and to work for. That's one big plus," he said. "Waltham also has a reputation of being a good community. It made the top 100 list of small cities in the U.S. to live in (according to Money Magazine). That's encouraging. Fortunately, I've discovered as I met the staff, it's a very friendly staff that seems very excited about the upcoming year."
In September, students from the Bright Elementary School will join students from the Fitzgerald Elementary School at the newly renovated building on Beal Road.
Fitzgerald students were schooled at the Fitch School building on Ash Street last school year.
School Building Committee Chairman David King said construction on the new Fitzgerald School cost approximately $19 million and the total cost of the project was approximately $24 million. The total included demolition of the old building, site preparation, furniture, equipment, technology, construction management, architecture and other management costs.
The Fitzgerald Elementary School is the seventh out of eight public schools that the city has worked to renovate or replace since 2001.
Jeff Gilbride can be reached at 781-398-8005 or at jgilbrid@cnc.com
