I recently had the pleasure of interviewing one of our new assistant principals, Mrs. Carella-Dean. Before becoming an assistant principal at Newfield, Mrs. Carella-Dean was an English teacher at Selden Middle School for 21 years. When she decided to switch from teaching to being a school leader, Mrs. Carella-Dean was appointed at Dawnwood Middle School as an interim assistant principal and then became an assistant principal at Newfield High School.

Mrs. Carella-Dean specializes in English Language Arts, a field which she is very passionate about, having earned her Bachelor's in English Secondary Education. While she remains passionate about her specialty field, Mrs. Carella-Dean also loves the art of dance. She is an experienced choreographer and dance coach, and she recently became a certified Zumba instructor. Her love for this art form stems from the fact that it is “a way to be creative,” reflecting her passion for inspiring and creating a better and happier environment for those who surround her.  Mrs. Carella-Dean is a self-proclaimed terrible cook and a work-in-progress runner.  Her greatest joy is being the mother to her two children, ages 6 and 10. While Mrs. Carella-Dean does not have much time to indulge in the pleasures of watching television and movies, she does have a few favorites. Mrs. Carella-Dean thoroughly enjoys the comedic works of Seinfeld and The Office. Her favorite movie is “Some Kind of Wonderful,” a cinematic experience that she describes as “a classic tale of teen angst, haves and have-nots, love lost and gained, and the search for one’s place in the world.”

Mrs. Carella-Dean’s experience at Newfield thus far can only be described as “overwhelmingly positive.”  She is very pleased with the team approach that she has undergone so far not only on the staff level, but in her interactions with students too. Mrs. Carella-Dean loves seeing and interacting with her former students on a daily basis. Seeing her students blossom into major young adults brings her much joy as they stand on the cusp of full adulthood. Mrs. Carella-Dean wishes to lead by example and encourage good decision-making that comes from the heart.  She wishes to inform our student body that, “If you have a goal and you keep it as an important part of your life, you will get to that goal even if it takes a long time. Goals matter. Being driven matters.”

Author’s Note: Ms. Carella-Dean, is the new assistant principal for Newfield and is principal for Grade 9 (A-L) and Grade 11. Consider reading Daniel Iacobacci’s article on Mr. Tangney, the other new assistant principal, who is the AP for Grade 9 (K-Z) and Grade 10. Newfield High School is lucky to have two amazing new administrators, who are looking to make your time at Newfield as pleasurable as possible. So, stop by and say hello!