Starting a new school year is always exciting, but for Ms. Jessica Gomez, September marked the beginning of a whole new chapter. Stepping into her role as Birchwood’s new Assistant Principal, she experienced the start of the school year from a completely different perspective. “After spending so many years in the classroom, I get to now see all of the pieces that come together to support students, staff, and families across an entire school community,” shared Ms. Gomez.

A member of the South Huntington family since 2005, Ms. Gomez spent two decades as a dual-language teacher at Maplewood for grades 4 and 5. Her dedication to excellence was officially recognized in 2020 when she was honored as Maplewood’s Teacher of the Year. She has a Master of Science in Elementary Education with Distinction from Hofstra University, an ITI Bilingual Education Advanced Certificate from St. John’s University, and a Post-Master’s Advanced Graduate Certification in Educational Leadership, DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) Cohort. In addition to her academic credentials, Ms. Gomez holds NYS Professional Certification in Childhood Education (Grades 1-6) and as a School District Leader, an Initial Certification as a School Building Leader, and a Bilingual Extension (K-12).

Ms. Gomez takes over as Assistant Principal at Birchwood from Renee Schumm, who is now the Principal of South Huntington’s new Silas Wood Pre-K Center. We spoke with Ms. Gomez about her new role. Answers have been lightly edited for length and clarity.

Q&A 

Tell us about your background.
Ms. Gomez: “My family moved here from Guatemala when I was seven years old. We lived in Brooklyn, in New York City, and then moved out to Huntington when I was in the 3rd grade. It was my mom - she was a single mom - my sister, and me. My mom worked hard and did everything for us. I went to school in the Huntington School District, and then Cold Spring Harbor. At the time when we were in Brooklyn, it was a diverse, different community, and they had a really nice sense of how to welcome and support us. I still have memories of my Russian friend, my Cuban friend, and all of us together. It was still difficult because I had to learn English. I learned it quickly. I remember my teacher being surprised by how fast I moved in and out of ENL, but even though I learned conversational English, there was so much academic language I hadn't mastered that was still difficult for me years later in middle school.”

How has your background influenced the way you connect with and support your students and their families?
Ms. Gomez: “I say I am a reflection of them, because I know what that's like, coming to a different country, learning the language, assimilating, and understanding the culture and the needs families might not be able to provide simply because they don't have the language skills. I was the oldest, so I did everything. While my mom was working, I was the one telling her about conferences, translating, and trying to handle everything. When I graduated from high school, I drove around to do college visits by myself and with a friend because my family didn't fully understand the process. I wanted to go away to college, not just nearby. We drove to Boston to see schools I was accepted into so I could have that experience just like other families.”

Why did you make the choice to transition from the classroom to an administrative position?
Ms. Gomez: “I started thinking about it when I began working with other newer teachers, guiding them through the process of what the curriculum was and how to manage a classroom. Little by little, I started to see that it's not just about the students in my class; I can have an impact in other ways by working with different committees and getting a sense of how the building and district work as a whole. Getting a seat at the table and having conversations about curriculum, the dual language program, or being on a committee talking about the impact of state testing. Those are the things that made me say, ‘I can see myself doing this on a broader level.’ I knew that for me to continue to grow, this was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up, and I wasn't willing to. It was hard to leave my Maplewood family, but I'm so lucky that I'm still in South Huntington. It really is mixed emotions, and even when I told my class that I got the AP position, I started to get a little teary-eyed."

What role do you see yourself playing to connect with Birchwood’s students and their families?
Ms. Gomez: “Throughout the summer and the first month of school, I spent time getting to know the building, the staff, and understanding how things work here. I want to create opportunities for more of our Spanish-speaking families in our community to be engaged with our overall school community. I can definitely see myself working on that, whether it's working closely with the PTA or creating more bilingual opportunities. In general, my focus is understanding how the building is run, what Principal Bernadel has in place, and where he needs support so I can jump right in. I want to be able to build relationships with as many students as I can and be there for their families. I really hope to be that connecting piece, that bridge that gives them an opportunity to feel they can be part of our community.” 

What have you found that you love most about your new role so far?
Ms. Gomez: “What I love most are the relationships and connections I’ve begun to build with the staff, students, and families. I also really value everything I’ve learned and continue to learn each day. Every day brings something new, and I love having the opportunity to grow while getting to know and support our Birchwood family. It has been really amazing! I couldn’t have asked for a better place to transition into this new role. The Birchwood community has been so welcoming. From the staff and faculty to the students and families, everyone has played a part in making me feel at home and supported in this new chapter.”