For the new principal of Westbury Middle School, being an educator is about one thing: impact.
“The only reason I got into administration is because I realized I could have a bigger impact on kids and their families,” said Fernando Agramonte, who took over as the middle school principal on Aug. 18.
The possibility of having an impact is what drove Agramonte to leave a career in the business industry 13 years ago to pursue teaching. He taught for seven years in Brooklyn and Queens before serving as an assistant principal in Rockland County and West Islip.
Growing up and starting his career in the city, Agramonte said he is familiar with some of the challenges students in Westbury may face and is dedicated to helping them overcome struggles. And helping children can have a huge ripple effect, said Agramonte.
“I know that if we do right for these kids and provide an environment where they can learn at high levels and where they can be set up for success in the future, it’s not just their lives, it’s their entire family for an entire generation or more,” he said.
Being able to impact not only the students, but their families is the most rewarding part of being in education, Agramonte said. It’s a job that comes with a lot of responsibility, as Agramonte noted in the middle school, students form habits and beliefs they will carry with them the rest of their lives. Educators at the middle school have the unique opportunity to impact a child’s sense of self-efficacy, he said.
“You have the opportunity to shape how they see themselves and education and their future. After this age, a lot of beliefs about self begin to solidify. Right now, a lot of beliefs and customs and habits are malleable and you can shape them to be positive,” Agramonte said. “That makes me want to work harder, to make sure that in the three short years we have them in the middle school they have the skills they need to be successful at the next level.”
Agramonte takes the helm at the middle school following in the footsteps of David Zimbler, who was moved up to the high school to replace principal Manny Arias, who retired after 30 years in the district. Taking the post on Aug. 18, he said he is currently meeting with teachers and parents to learn more about the programs in the middle schools and what has and has not been successful.
“I see here a community that really cares about their kids and schools. If I can set up structures to make sure these kids are successful, I can make a real positive impact on the whole family,” Agramonte said. “That for me is the ultimate reward in being in education.”
