By Philip Sean Curran, Staff Writer
An interim-principal for Riverside Elementary School was appointed Tuesday from among the school faculty to fill in for the regular principal who is on a paid leave of absence until the middle of October.
Vocal music teacher Paul Chapin took over effective Monday, and will lead a school of 254 pupils and roughly 55 staff members. His appointment ends Oct.16, with William Cirullo planning to return Oct.19 to the principal’s office, district records showed.
The district did not say why Mr. Cirullo is missing the first month and a half of the school year, but the item about him on the Board of Education meeting agenda on Tuesday indicated he was using accumulated sick time during the period from July 6 to Oct.16.
Mr. Cirullo has worked for the district since 1970.
The district this week expressed its confidence in Mr. Chapin, as he prepares to run Riverside ahead of the first day of school Sept.8. He is no stranger to the school community.
Superintendent of Schools Steve Cochrane said Tuesday that Mr. Chapin has been serving as an “administrative intern,” a position the district has at all of its schools in which teachers work closely with building principals and “take on administrative roles.”
“He’s been doing that job for the last 20 years,” Mr. Cochrane said in an interview after the school board meeting.
Mr. Cochrane said Mr. Chapin is familiar with all the procedures and school staff at Riverside. In the past, he’s filled in as interim principal when Mr. Cirullo has been absent, Mr. Cochrane said.
“He’s the right choice for taking it on again,” Mr. Cochrane said.
Mr. Chapin holds a master’s in educational leadership from Scranton University and a principal’s certification.
