clifton merchant magazine - march 2016
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Clifton Merchant March 2016 3
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March 2016 Clifton Merchant4
Home Grown MustangsMaroon & Gray Students Now Teachers
Susan JubakUnforggetable Apple of School 5s Eye
A Royal Mustang ExitRemembering Dave Moose Bossom
Mustangs in Atlantic CityWrestlers Farhan, Murdoch & DePasque
Table of Contents
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Editor & PublisherTom Hawrylko
2016 Tomahawk Promotions
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Jack De Vries, Joe Hawrylko, Irene Jarosewich, April Lewandowski,
Rich DeLotto, Michael C. Gabriele,Ihor S. Andruch, Tom Szieber
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Thomas MullinThe Man Who Always Gives Back
Joella PoundsSt. Mary Alumna, Teacher & Coach
Michael DoktorRecalling Two Clifton Mentors
Cliftonmagazine.com
Whats Inside?
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By Tom Hawrylko
Mr. Sabak is able to get the best out of his studentsabilities when it comes to music, offered JessicaSantana of Clifton, who plays in PCs Concert Band,
Paladin Marching Band, Jazz Band and Pit Band.
His passion for music is contagious, the junior said
of Sabak, Coordinator of Music. He helps students
grow with their music and in life. Paramus Catholics
recent addition of the Music Conservatory shows Mr.
Sabaks dedication to PCs music program.
Sabak, also the Founding Director of the Marching
Paladins, said the new Conservatory offers a 120 seat
band room and a suite of practice rooms, providing space
for individual lessons, group practice and performances.
A multi-instrument musician himself, Sabak said he
feels fortunate that the PC leadership believes in music
education as a part of the whole curriculum. The school
has invested handsomely to offer students the chance to
make beautiful sounds and be excited about music.
Among the most gratifying moments of teaching at
Paramus Catholic are those times when I see the delight
and pride in the faces of my students as they perform, or
master a new technique, or make their first sounds in
learning an instrument, said Sabak. I know that this
part of their education has touched their hearts and they
will treasure it for years to come for as someone once
saidmusic is love that you can hear.Music Director of St. Brendans from 1974 to 2005,
Sabak said the church boasted a 60 member mixed choir,
most of which was made up of high school students.
There was also a boys choir, girls choir and hand bell
choir, along with a school group that produced a number
of Broadway musicals from 2000 to 2004. Sabak was the
force behind all of these groups, teaching, coaching and
giving kids a solid musical and religious experience.
Today at PC, Gary Sabak feels blessed as he contin-
ues to innovate and educate by teaching with music.
Gary Sabak with Junior Jessica Santana of Clifton, the WoodwindCaptain of the Marching Paladins. Photo by Justin Pedrick.
Many will recognize Gary Sabakfrom his three decades as the
music director at St. Brendan
Church on Lakeview Ave. But
since 2005, the former Clifton
resident has been growing the
music program at Paramus
Catholic High School. He is one of
the many wonderful Clifton teachers
we celebrate within the pages of
this months magazine.
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As a teenager growing up in Clifton during the1980s, John Lesler recalled that lively discussionsabout history were a big part of family life, especially
when seated at the dinner table with his parents and
three brothers.
Conversations focused on the recent and contempo-
rary history of the 20th century, vivid, living history.
Lesler was a first-generation American, while his par-
ents were born in Eastern Europe. He often heard sto-
ries about how his grandparents fought against the
Nazis during World War II and how his mom and dad
took great pride in the fact that they had come to the
United States to live the American Dream.
Fascinated by these discussions, they kindled a deep
yearning to become a student of history. He realized
that history was in his bones and part of his DNA.
One night in the fall of 1989, the daily family dia-
logue about current events and history came to an
abrupt halt. There was an almost-eerie silence in the
Lesler home on Nov. 9 as everyone watched the
evening news broadcast. The reports they saw were
beyond astonishing. The Berlin Wallthe dreaded, for-
bidding symbol of Communist totalitarian repression
was coming down. People in Germany were dancing in
the streets.
This was an unthinkable turn of events. The Cold
War was over. Most people from that era assumed the
Berlin Wall would stand forever as a line marking the
geopolitical tension between the two world superpow-
ers: the United States and the Soviet Union. (The wall
actually stood for 28 years.)
Constructed of concrete and barbed wire, the Berlin
Wall was the real-world symbol of The Iron Curtain,
as described by former British Prime Minister Winston
Churchill during a speech at Westminster College in
Fulton, Missouri, on March 5, 1946.
13 WordsDescribe a Passion for History
History is All Around You. YouJust Have to Open Up Your Eyes.
-John Lesler, CHS Teacher
ves the
m. cher
By Michael C. Gabriele
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When the Berlin Wall
fell, I remember our family
just sitting around the dinner
table, not really saying any-
thing. We were all focused
on the television, Lesler
recalled. We watched ABC
News and I remember Peter
Jennings (reporting) live at the Berlin Wall. As a teenag-
er, I realized this was a huge moment in history that I was
witnessing.
13 Words; Get It?These memories and other life experiences have
fueled Leslers passion for history. Today, he shares this
passion with his students as a teacher of the American
History II Honors class at Clifton High School. He
expresses his philosophy of learning with 13 words that
are posted above the windows of his classroom:
History is All Around You. You Just Have to Open
Up Your Eyes.
This short statement, while profound and meant to
encourage students, also begs the existential question:
What will you see when you open your eyes?
Youll see everything, Lesler notes You have to
look and understand. History helps the students realize
that their lives have been directly affected and influ-
enced by the decades and generations that came before
them. When they finish my class after 180 school days,
I hope my students can say that we learned a lot and
we understand. We get it.
Having his students get it is the target for Lesler.
His aim is to impart wisdom, insight and perspective,
along with names, dates, places and events. Much like
when he was a teenager at CHS, Lesler urges his stu-
dents to do homework and strike up conversations
with members of their families.
I tell my kids: talk about history with your parents
and your relatives. Ask them questions. One day a stu-
dent came to class and told me that he learned his uncle
was in the Korean War. I asked him: did you know
that? The student said he had never heard those stories.
And thats when it hits them. Thats when they get it.
Thats when the 13 words make sense.
The 13 words are an original quote from Lesler to
underline the notion that every chapter of American
history is relevant to the lives of his students. In
essence, Leslers history class is a collection of
American storiesthe experiences of people who
come to the United States from all corners of the world.
Its a lesson that rings true in his classroom, consider-
ing how the grand diversity of Cliftons population is
reflected in the CHS student body.
Were all Americans. We have an identity as an
American and we have an additional identity based on
our ethnic background. Its something my students can
appreciate.
History on Display at CHSThe curriculum for Leslers American History class
begins with the Progressive Era at the start of the 20th
centurya period highlighted by World War I, major
waves of immigration, the Roaring Twenties, the presi-
dencies of Teddy Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson and
the 19th Amendment, ratified on August 18, 1920, giv-
ing women the right to voteand ends with the Cold
War era of the 1950s. Each day class begins with a
review of current events and newspaper headlines.
Lesler is especially proud of the CHS History Club,
which he launched on Sept. 17, 2014.
Lori, John and Jordyn Lesler in a recent photo and John after Parris Island Boot Camp in 1991.
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The club maintains
the largest hallway dis-
play case at CHS, with
exhibits changing
throughout the school
year. I wanted students
to have a chance to pro-
mote history. They take
the lead in setting up the
exhibits in the display
case. The 13 words are
part of the clubs mission
statement.
In early February,
when Lesler was interviewed for this article, the clubs
display case had items on the 50th Super Bowl, Black
History Month, the origin of Teddy Bears, and the rais-
ing of the American flag by U.S. Marines during the
battle of Iwo Jima in 1945.
Club members are encouraged to reach out and be
collaborative. For example, last year they provided
research for performers involved in the annual CHS
dance concert Chasse Through the Century, staged onMay 27, 2015, in JFK auditorium.
History Club members worked together with fellow
students to research dance styles and music for the
show, which included students performing vintage tap
dance numbers from the 1920s.
The CHS History Club members dressed for Chasse Through the Century.
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Clifton Merchant March 2016 13
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March 2016 Clifton Merchant14
Outside of the class-
room, Lesler has received
accolades for his work as
The Voice of the
Mustangs, serving as the
announcer for football
games and other events at
Clifton Stadium.
A Teachers JourneyBorn Aug. 13, 1973,
Lesler was a s CHS grad-
uate, Class of 1991. He
was involved with athlet-
ics, playing baseball and
football. I was a decent
athlete; pretty fast, but nothing spectacular. He enlist-
ed in the Marine Corps delayed entry program when he
turned 17, the summer before his senior year.
He decided not to play any sports during senior year
and dedicated his time to preparing for the Marines. He
did, however, support his friends by attending as many
sporting events as possible. As a result, in the Class of
1991 Whos Who voting, he was cited as the student
with the Most School Spirit.
One month after graduation, he arrived at Parris
Island in South Carolina to begin Marine Corps recruit
training. He served in the Marines for four years,
receiving an Honorable Discharge in July 1995.
During his years with the Marines, his service
included the Start I Treaty between the United States
and the Soviet Union/Russian Federation. President
George H.W. Bush and Soviet President Mikhail
Gorbachev signed the treaty on July 31, 1991 and
implementation began in December 1994.
He recalled a prophetic conversation he had with a
Marine buddy. Hey Les, what do you want to do
when you get out of the Marines? a chum asked.
Without hesitation, he answered: I want to be a high
school history teacher.
After leaving the Marines, Lesler had a period of
transition regarding his future career plans. He worked
in the private sector and then enrolled at County
College of Morris in September 1998.
One year later he was accepted at Montclair State
University (MSU), where his favorite professor was Dr.
Michael Whelan. His (Whelans) passion for history
reiterated to me how exciting history could be.
Lesler completed his undergraduate degree at MSU
in January 2004. Within a month, he was hired by the
Clifton school district. He had been a student teacher at
Woodrow Wilson Middle School from September to
December 2003.
In May 2011, Lesler earned his Masters Degree in
Educational Technology from Ramapo College,
Mahwah. Lesler and his wife Loria Sign Language
teacher at CHSreside in Morris County. They have a
daughter, Jordyn, 15, from Leslers previous marriage.
Jordyn knows her history. She gets it from talking
with me, he declared with a smile.
Theres No Place Like HomeSitting in his classroom during after-school hours,
Lesler reflected on his career and his years at CHS.
Can a teacher change the life of a student? Yes! Thats
what motivates me every day to become a better
teacher. Im living my dream. Ill always remember the
journey for me to become a teacher. I never let myself
forget what it was like when I was a student at CHS.
When asked whether he ever had considered teach-
ing in any school district other than Clifton, Lesler sim-
ply paused and smiled. Theres no place like home.
Thats Lesler on the right and retired teacher Cassie Craig on the left in 2007, when they led this group of Mustangs in a student exchange program to England.
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Clifton Merchant March 2016 15
Can a Damaged Toenail be Malignant
Melanoma?
There are about 12,000
podiatrists in the United
States, according to the
Department of Labor, and
Clifton podiatrist Thomas
Graziano is one of only six
who hold both a Doctor of
Podiatric Medicine
(D.P.M.) and a Doctor of
Medicine (M.D.) degree.Thomas A. Graziano,MD, DPM, FACFAS
This patient had used topical anti fungal medi-
cines but nothing seemed to work. When she
visited Dr. Graziano, his suspicions of skin cancer
(melanoma) were confirmed by the biopsy he per-
formed right in the office.
The skin of the feet and lower legs is often
overlooked during routine medical examinations,
said Dr. Graziano. That is why it important that
the feet are checked regularly for abnormalities
that might indicate evolving skin cancer. Thats
why we are offering free screenings.
During March Only
Free Skin Cancer Screening on the Lower Extremity
When it Comes to Melanomaand Skin Cancer Screenings,
Dont Forget Your Feet!
Dr. Thomas Graziano has treated several cases of melanomas on the
lower extremity, as this photo illustrates. Call to schedule a free skin cancer screening of your feet.
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By Ihor S. Andruch
The Man Who NeverStops Giving Back
It was a Tuesday morning in 1992 and our CHSRussian class was having a test for which I didnt study.
I am fluent in Ukrainian and Polish, but the Russian lan-
guage was distinctly different and for me, more difficult.
While I could breeze my way through verbal class
assignments, being comfortable with Slavic pronuncia-
tion, I needed help with the written test. Hiding my text-
book on my lap under the desk, I figured I was slick.
However, Thomas Mullin had seen this trick more than
once and before I knew it, I was busted. Ten minutes into
the test, he came over and put a big red zero on my paper.
Cheating could have been the end of our relation-
ship. Yet Mr. Mullin gave me a second chance. He was
always my biggest cheerleader and always believed in
me. Why I will never know, but I soon realized that I
had met the man who was, hands down, the best teacher
I had as a Mustang.
Mullin was a dynamic teacher who was always able to
motivate me. Coming from a single parent home, los-
ing my father when I was seven, his belief in me truly
meant a lot. To this day I am grateful for his support.
Mullin taught me Russian for four years at CHS
(1990-1994). Watching him teach was truly awesome.
He always wove his unique sense of humor into the les-
sons, softening the teaching of this harsh-sounding lan-
guage. Maybe it was the way he worked in different and
interesting stories, such as his snorkeling adventures, I
am not sure, but he kept us kids engaged.
The Making of an Academic IconMullin, an Irishman, grew up in Paterson as a Catholic
School kid, first attending St. Bonaventure, then St.
Thomas Mullin
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Johns High School. His family moved to Clifton in
1953 to the Washington Ave. home where he and wife
Joan continue to live today.
While in high school, he realized he wanted to teach.
I discovered that I thoroughly enjoyed what was going
on in teaching and wanted to pursue education as a
career, Mullin, now 73, said recently.
He had a deep desire to learn languages. He attended
St. Peters College in Jersey City and by 1964, had
earned degrees in French and Russian. He continued his
studies at Fordham University and earned a masters
degree in French in 1966. I was interested in learning
the French language, as my grandmother was from
France, explained Mullin.
Mullin got his professional start in September 1966 in
the Rutherford school district. In January 1967, he took
over for a teacher on maternity leave at Woodrow Wilson
Middle School and the district proved to be his home.
In 1968, he was named a French teacher at CHS, but
Mullin knew there was much more to being a teacher
than standing in front of a classroom. An avid skier, he
founded the CHS Ski Club, organizing many trips and
after that, went on to oversee many other after school
clubs, activities and other programs.
He joined the then-evolving world of English as
Second Language (ESL) at the Clifton Evening School
in 1970 and with that step, there was one degree less of
separation between us.
In the early 1970s, my mother came to the United
States from Poland. Soon after she arrived, Mullin taught
her to speak English at the evening ESL Program, a pro-
gram for which he served as director from 1983 to 1992.
Years later, when I told my mother, Irene Andruch,
that my Russian teacher was Mullin, she recalled how
great he was back at the evening school.
My friend Zosia and I had just arrived in the US and
enrolled in Mullins ESL course. He was an excellent
teacher with a great sense of humor; he taught us a lot.
He was very welcoming and spoke to us in Polish,
which made me feel very comfortable. Not only did he
teach us English, I remember him doing a lesson about
the Presidential elections. He showed us how the elec-
tions worked in the US by setting up a mock-elec-
tionin the classroom, my mother recalls.
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In 1983 he became the Department
Supervisor of World Languages at CHS and
served there until his retirement in 2000. I had
such wonderful experiences and exceptionally
great students during my years at CHS. To this
day the school offers such wonderful opportu-
nities for Clifton students, said Mullin.
This attitude continues to motivate him to
remain involved in making his hometown a
better place. Even in retirement, Mullin, still
lives an active lifestyle. When not at the gym
three times per week, he is giving back to the
community, as Commissioner of the Board of
Recreation, which hold many events, as an
active member of the Knights of Columbus, the
Henry Dougherty Memorial Scholarship com-
mittee and the Clifton Education Foundation.
I am always happy when we meet around
town. Now my children know him. He still has
a great sense of humor, the same one that he
shared with my mother, with me, and now
shares with my kids.
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Growing up in Clifton, Joella Pounds always heardher father, Lou Pounds, Sr., talk about St. Mary HighSchool. While he attended the now closed Paul VI High
School on Valley Rd., he and his wife Susan liked
what the small, co-ed Catholic school in Rutherford
was all about.
Given that history, there was
never any uncertainty about
where she would attend high
school: I loved St. Mary
before I was ever a student
there, explained Pounds, who
now lives in East Rutherford, and also attended
Sacred Heart in Botany Village.
My older sister, Jessica, went to St. Mary and
graduated in 1999. My dad had been bringing
me, my brother, Lou, and my sister there before
we were ever students. My dad loved it there and
really wanted us to go. However, what was unexpect-
ed was that Pounds eventually returned to St. Mary as a
teacher and coach, working alongside some of the
very people that inspired her nearly a decade ago.
While a Lady Gael, Pounds was a stand-out
student athlete in cross country and softball, but
where she truly excelled was on the basketball
court. As a junior, the small but aggressive
former Cliftonite racked up more than 1,000
points, and was a McDonalds All-
American nominee, and was on the radar
of several colleges in the area.
In fact, her skills and shooting were
so good she was named to the BergenRecord Girls Basketball All-DecadeTeam for 2000-2010.
As a senior, Pounds was originally
considering English as her college
major. But a devastating knee injury
during her final year of high school in
2004 changed her plans.
A Role Model & Teacher on the Court and in the Classroom at St. Mary
By Joe Hawrylko
Above are some of the St. Mary Gaels basketballsquad with Coach Pounds, from left, Janea Kelty,Makiela Walker, Nicole Lucianin, Angelica Krajnik,Samantha Tello, Elizabeth Perchun. Thats alsoJoella Pounds on the court as a Gael in 2003.
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I jumped and landed
awkward, and blew out
my ACL, MCL, and tore
my meniscus in my right
knee at the start of my
third game of my senior
season, she recalled.
Her year derailed, she
spent the next several
months in rehab. The set
back let to an opportunity
as Pounds became inter-
ested in rehab work. She
began studying Athletic
Training at Long Island
University in Brooklyn, where she played basketball on
a full scholarship.
After graduating with a M.S in Athletic Training in
2009, she was looking for a job, and got a call from one
of her former teachers at St. Marys.
Opportunity Back HomeThe Athletic Director Matt Stone, called and asked if
I wanted to be the assistant girls basketball coach,
Pounds recalled. Then I got into teaching phys ed, and
it went from there.
Now in her third season as head coach of the Lady
Gaels, Pounds came in with experience coaching youth
sports, but not any time teaching or leading PE classes.
I started an AAU program, the NJ Celtics, but I dont
do it anymore. Im a very competitive person, and I just
wanted to be active in basketball, explained
Pounds. Its honestly tough for me as a former athlete...
I wanted to stay active and I just want to be around the
game of basketball. Ive had the experiences that all ath-
letes get: all the friendships, all of the sports memories
as a player now as a coach, I want my girls to have the
same experience. Sports are a very good tool for life in
general. We won two games my first year here, and were
.500 last year, so this is definitely the best season Ive
had, and the best weve had in a while. In her third sea-
son as Varsity coach, the Gaels are16-7 as we go to press.
Looking at her personal growth, she attributes her
success to having strong mentors in her life.
I was lucky enough to have several good coaches
growing up. My father was my first coach, and he
demanded the most out of me out of any of my coaches,
she explained. Pounds father was also a standout athlete
in high school, and attended Paul VI in Clifton with his
daughters current boss, St. Mary principal Tara Brunt.
I used to play softball as a kid in the Eastern Division
in Clifton. My father was my coach. I started to play
basketball at Sacred Heart CYO, and then I started run-
ning cross country in high school.
The Legacy of GaelsOur Athletic Director, Matt Stone, hes the one that
offered me this opportunity to come back and be a part
of St. Mary, recalled Pounds. Mike Sheridan is anoth-
er major influence, hes our Director of Alumni, she
said, noting that Sheridan, also the Gaels Football
Coach, is a legacy alumni. His father and other family
members attended the school. And that, added Pounds,
is what makes the school special to generations of Gaels.
We have a lot of people that just want to go back and
give to the school, whether it is teaching or coaching,
continued Pounds, when Coach Stone called me up and
asked me to coach, I didnt even hesitate. He was the
boys basketball coach at the time, and my cross country
coach when I was in school. He helped me out a lot in
high school, and he helps me out a lot now. I can always
look up to him, and ask for advice whether it is from a
teaching or coaching perspective.
Joella Pounds at center with Sacred Heart classmates and staff at the 2000 graduation.
March 2016 Clifton Merchant22
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Clifton Merchant March 2016 23
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March 2016 Clifton Merchant24
In addition to teaching physi-
cal education, Pounds is the
chair for physical education, and
teaches driver education, health,
life skills, and first aid. Though
coaching is what brought her
into the field, the proud alumni
said she loves the ability to
shape the lives of young men
and women on the court and in
the classroom.
One of the main reasons I want-
ed to come back was just because of
how much I loved it here, explained
Pounds. I have two girls on my
team that are probably going to end
up playing basketball in college. But
we have such a diverse mix of stu-
dent-athletes. In my group of sen-
iors, my one point guard who Ive
been coaching since she was in the
5th grade with AAU is graduating
this year, and is a very smart kid
she is going to be going to school
anywhere she wants.
Like those ads say, St. Mary is
small and personal, she contin-
ued. I could tell you every single
students name. Out of the 300 or so
we have, I meet them at some point
during the year. I love that about this
school. There are a couple teachers
that I had that are still here. Its cool
seeing them in a different light now
as a coworker. Im thankful I never
got into trouble or anything! But I
am very happy that I got to go to a
place that was so important to my
family, and now I work here too.
At Joellas 2009 graduation fromLong Island University,Brooklyn, siblings Jessica andLou, her dad and mom Lou andSusan, and grandmother Helen.
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Most students know Michael Doktor as the VicePrincipal of the Central Wing at CHS. What manydont know is that before he became the VP three years
ago, he spent about a decade in front of the classroom as
a teacher and was a student-athlete here as well.
Along the path Doktor took to where he is today,
Doktor, a CHS Class of 1995 grad, found mentors who
helped guide him. He specifically cited Jerry Waller and
Lynn Tuorto as two such influences.
Waller, who was an AP Accounting teacher, now
retired, set the bar high. The AP class, really college-
level accounting, was difficult, time-consuming with
deadlines. He taught us to charge at the subject matter
with a can-do attitude. He had faith in us and always
pushed us to do our best, recalled Doktor.
Doktor was also a pretty good Mustang volleyball
player who later coached the Mustangs. His mentor on
the court was Head Coach Lynn Tuorto, who is still in the
Clifton Schools system.
Not only did she teach me on the court, she taught me
how to deal with adversity off of the court, said Doktor
of Tuorto, who is a Special Education Coordinator and a
member of the Child Study Team. After I graduated, she
gave me an opportunity to coach along side of her, said
Doktor. She taught me the intangibles... how to deal
with kids... how to best handle different situations.
If it wasnt for them (Walker and Tuorto), I wouldnt
be where I am today. Everything they showed me was
invaluable, especially in understanding how to success-
fully work with the students and athletes, added Doktor.
A business teacher who taught Advanced Computers
at CHS for more than 10 years, Doktor was also a great
Head Coach of the boys and girls volleyball teams.
From 1999-2012, he produced a combined record of
506-184, among them many championships. However,
because of BOE rules Doktor had to give up coaching to
become an administrator, but he remains a great cheer-
leader for the CHS teams.
Moving from teacher to administrator doesnt mean
priorities change. The first priority remains: help stu-
dents and everything else will fall into place. Education is
all about caring about the students. If you dont care
about the students, youre in the wrong profession, con-
cluded Doktor.
By Ihor S. Andruch
Students First,Michael Doktor says,All Else Will Follow
Mike Doktor cited two mentors: above with Lynn Tuorto,and Jerry Waller, pictured on our Jan. 1998 cover.
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Clifton Merchant March 2016 27
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Getting kids moving is whatdrives Emil Rascher. Theresnothing better than having
happy kids in PE class, said
the physical education teacher
at School 9, on Brighton Rd.
They are always having fun
and dont always realize that
they are exercising.
When I was a kid, I used to
ride my bike to the park and
spend the entire day there.
These days are different, many
of the parks are nearly empty.
So, PE class is where kids get a
lot of their daily exercise.
Rascher, who has been
teaching for more than 17
years, knows that he is one of
the reasons kids will stay phys-
ically active in school and
hopefully healthy for a lifetime.
Being innovative while being physically active is a
philosophy he brings home to his family, wife Jenn,
children Trevor (7) and Abby (5), who are involved with
soccer, baseball and basketball.
Among his accomplishments is the improvement of
the PE program. I recently received grants to purchase
a Wii Fit for the students to use during PE class, as well
as Family Fitness Fun Book Bags the kids can take
home and use jump ropes and other exercise equipment
with their families.
In addition to teaching at School 9, Rascher coaches
CHS Varsity Hockey, where he has been assistant coach
for the last 15 years.He credits his coaching and playing
success to long-time CHS Varsity Hockey head coach,
Tom Danko whom he considers one of the best role
models in hockey. Danko develops discipline and com-
mitment in the players that he coaches.
Good sportsmanship is the foundation of his educa-
tional view. It doesnt matter if you win or lose, its the
way you act that determines the winner or the loser.
Education Never RestsRaschers year doesnt end when June comes around.
Hes been an integral part of the success of the Clifton
Recreations youth summer programs where he man-
ages six supervisors and over 120 counselors. For over
two decades, Emil has impacted thousands of Clifton
youth. He was the recipient of the Clifton Recreation
Man of the Year award in 1999, said Debbie Oliver,
Clifton Rec Department director.
Learning doesnt end in the classroom; its an ever
growing process and you need to continue challenging
yourself in all ways, stated Rascher.
His love of the Rec Dept began as a youth while he
was attending the programs himself. At the time, they
were held at eight parks throughout town where the kids
played different games with each other.
It has grown so large that the schools are now
involved and there are now various themes such as park
olympics, park dance, weekly bowling and others.
Summer Days at the Park has three locations:
Schools 3, 11 and 13 with some 300 kids.
March 2016 Clifton Merchant28
By Ihor S. Andruch
Keep Moving & Having Fun
Emil, Jenn, Trevor and Abby Rascher. Jenn, the former Jennifer DalPos,is a teacher and also a Mustang. She graduated CHS in 1996.
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The success of the Allsport, Junior SportsStar and
Tots-o-fun programs are a true testament of the great
work that the Recreation Department has accomplished.
What keeps Rascher motivated? I see the kids, par-
ents and staff year round. Thats important. And I
enjoyed these programs as a kid. I want to give back to
the community where I grew up, extend the fun that I
had to the kids of today.
Oliver noted that having the Rec Dept. install roller
hockey rinks at Chelsea and Oak Ridge parks was his
idea. He also was a big part of the design and construc-
tion of the Clifton Skate Zone in 2002.
Personal LifeHis mother Doris, who taught 4th grade in Allendale
for over four decades, was an important influence in his
life. Raschers father, also named Emil, passed away at
the age of 42, of prostate cancer, when Rascher was only
11 years old, which impacted the young boy deeply.
A true Mustang success story, Rascher attended
School 2 and WWMS. He played ice hockey at CHS
and at William Paterson University.
This 1994 CHS grad lives near Ravine Park with his
family. His wife teaches 6th grade in Hillsdale. They
enjoy being outdoors with their kids, especially summer
weekends at the beach in Seaside Heights.
With a Masters Degree in Public Health plus an
additional 30 credits, and a Supervisors Certification,
Rascher says his teaching philosophy remains pretty
basic, Keep kids engaged, moving and having fun.
March 2016 Clifton Merchant30
Tom Danko, John Gulardo and Emil Rascher in 1994.
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Clifton Merchant March 2016 31
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For current and recent Mustang athletes, JohnPontes is a regular presence. A mainstay. A part of theirClifton High School experience.
He is a veteran track and field coach known and
beloved by just about anyone with an association with
Clifton sports, Pontes also spent nearly three decades
teaching health at CHS. His love of his sport, his seri-
ousness in his approach andas a 1968 Clifton grad
himselfhis ability to connect with his athletes made
him a favorite of pretty much each Mustang who came
under his tutelage.
As respected as hed become in his profession,
becoming an educator and coach wasnt his original
plan. When I was a kid, I had an appointment to the
Merchant Marine Academy, Pontes recalled. I was
all set to go, but I had the physical and failed it for
issues with my eyesight. That was in the middle of
April in my senior year.
The coach at William Paterson happened to come
to a meet of ours and he wanted a few runners. He was
particularly interested in our top runner, Tom
Greenbowe. He saw me run too, and we both ended up
going there. Ironically, it is the failure of the aforemen-
tioned physical that would set in motion several decades
of success for Pontes as an athletic coach.
He returned to CHS and became its head boys and
girls cross country coach in 1984. Two years later, he
took over the boys spring track squad (which, after a
three-year absence, hell oversee again this coming sea-
son), and was the boys and girls indoor leader for a peri-
od of time, as well.
With his leadership and determination, it is likely
Pontes could have led any team to the heights at which
he has taken CHS track. For him, though, it has been
more fulfilling doing so at the place at which he was
once a student. Still going strong in 2016, he also
acknowledges great pride in the fact that there is cur-
rently an uncharacteristically high amount of former
Mustangs at the helm of various Clifton sports.
It is a nice thing to see, Pontes said. Home grown.
It shows the tree has bore a lot of great fruit. This par-
ticular group [of CHS coaches] has a lot pride in their
community. A lot of them had opportunities to go other
places, but they wanted to be here to help instill that
same pride in todays Mustangs.
Pontes may be the grizzled vet of the bunch, but he is
just one of 10or 11 if you include wrestling coach
Dan Geleta, who attended CHS before his family moved
out of townMustang head coaches who impact the
lives of youth in the city where they grew up.
March 2016 Clifton Merchant32
By Tom Szieber
The Tree Has Bore Great FruitHome Grown Mustangs
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Clifton Merchant March 2016 33
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At the opposite end of grizzled vet is CHS 2007 grad
and current Mustangs gymnastics coach Brittany
Gaccione. Going into her third season as a head coach,
her youth contrasts with the many years of service put in
by the likes of Pontes, but her passion to see her athletes
grow as both sportsmen and people is just the same.
I love hearing them talk about the school events they
are looking forward to, or care enough to invite me to an
after-school activity, Gaccione said. The most fulfill-
ing thing about doing this, though, is watching [one of
my gymnasts] evolve and come into their own.
For each alumnus/coach, the desire to impact their
student-athletes has at least partially been fostered by a
figure who did the same for them. The most notable
example is that of boys soccer coach Stan Lembryk, who
credits much of his approach and achievement to the late
Clifton legend, Fernando Rossi.
In his two-plus decades leading the CHS boys soccer
team, Rossi won 353 games, 12 Passaic County titles,
three sectional crowns and the 1994 Group IV champi-
onship. He also impacted the futures of countless ath-
letes like Lembryk, who tries each day to do the same for
his players.
Coach Rossi inspired me to not only take advantage
of everything we have and be the best person we could
be on and off the field, Lembryk explained. He wasnt
just interested in us as soccer players. That is the part that
touched me the most. I think one thing that I learned
from him that he passed on was his ability to communi-
cate to all players differently. Some respond to yelling,
some with an arm around their shoulder. He was master-
ful with that, and I always to try to do the same.
Along with Pontes, Geleta, Gaccione and Lembryk,
Clifton also boasts a coaching roster that includes for-
mer Mustang athletes Konrad Kruczek (the current
girls soccer coach), George Cowan (boys lacrosse),
Joe Rivera (baseball), Andrea Bobby (boys tennis,
boys and girls swimming), Chad Cole (golf and girls
tennis), Mike Rivera (boys basketball) and Ralph
Cinque (football). Each of Cliftons student-to-coach
teachers has done it his or her own way, but all have
contributed to CHS athletics with a passion that only a
hometown son (or daughter) can.
I think CHS is very fortunate, said Joe Rivera. I
know each of the coaches we have personally and I
know they are very experienced, and very knowledge-
able. And for those who went here as students, to
coach in your hometown, is what you always want to
do. You want to show your athletes that even things
like showing up on time and tucking your shirt in at
practice matterbecause theyll matter in life. Each
kid is different, but as a coach, we all want to be a pos-
itive influence on as many as we can. And its extra
special to do it in Clifton.
March 2016 Clifton Merchant34
John Pontes (1968), Brittany Gaccione (2007), George Cowan (2000), Joe Rivera (1993), Ralph Cinque (1993), Stan Lembryk (1987), the late Fernando Rossi, Mike Rivera (1997), Konrad Kruczek (2004), Andrea Bobby (1979).
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Clifton Merchant March 2016 35
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While teachers are oftenunforgettable to a student,there are students who also
leave a lasting impression on
their teacher. Susan Jubak
admitted, certain students
stand out when I surprised her
with a phone call on a February
afternoon, nearly two decades
since I was in her 3rd grade
class at School 5.
You gave me a cloth bag
with an apple on it. I still have
it, she continued as we joked
about teachers never can have too many bags.
I was happy to hear that she remembered me after all
of these years. It also wasnt much of a surprise to hear
how meaningful her students were to her as now I am a
1st grade teacher at the Brookdale Elementary School
in Bloomfield and understand firsthand.
We shared memories, spoke about the differences and
similarities between teaching then and now. I told her
that I loved my morning journal writing in her class so
much that I decided to make that a daily morning exer-
cise for my class, as well. Besides being excellent writ-
ing practice, it is an amazing memory to look back
upon, as I did this past summer when I packed up my
belongings from my mothers house.
I realized that many of Ms. Jubaks quirky traits and
her strong belief in having fun are part of my teaching
strategy today.
Ms. Jubak journey to the classroom began in 1966 as
a newly qualified teacher from Seton Hall. That same
year she was hired at School 5 as a 4th grade teacher.
She stayed for only a year as she left to raise her two
sons. It wasnt until 1985 that Jubak returned as a sub-
stitute teacher. By 1986 she was rehired by School 5
for the 3rd grade. She spent the last four years of her
career in a fourth grade room, just where she started,
until she retired in 2010. It was a full circle... I loved
every minute of it, she recalled. In 2010, Ms. Jubak
was out of school for five months for a
March 2016 Clifton Merchant36
Ms. Jubak is not a fan of having her photo taken so we have her 3rd grade class from1998 (with some last names missing). From top left: Devon Devries, DamonPasquale, Damian Patty, Francis, Bryan Castro, Casey Hawrylko, Nicholas. Middle:Samantha, Amanda Sosa, Nasvi Fontanez, Kelly, Catherine, Holly Sorenson.Bottom: Richard, Angelo Grippo, Bryan Clemens, Shawn La Gala, Brian.
By Casey Hawrylko
Unforgettable...Thats why itsincredible, thatsomeone sounforgettable,thinks that I amunforgettable too.
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Clifton Merchant March 2016 37
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surgery. Although she was encouraged to retire before
the end of the school year, she knew it was important to
return and personally see her kids off in June.
Despite the changes to the profession and the bashing
of teachers today, there was never the slightest hint of bit-
terness hidden behind her cheerful voice. School 5 was
always a friendly school, she said. Even the subs knew
it and wanted to be there. The kids saw this. Its great for
them to see a healthy atmosphere. She said the adminis-
trators, teachers, aides and other staff as well as the high
level of parental involvement all contributed to making
School 5 a pleasant and positive environment.
Although she considers herself to be notoriously strict,
that is not the memory I have of her teaching style that
has made an everlasting impact on myself and many
other students over the years.
When I shared a silly memory from her classroom,
Jubak cracked and admitted, having fun and learning...
you have to bring humor! Sure, Macarena contests were
not in the curriculum, but having fun is a necessity for
successful recipe of teaching. Although staying positive
and having fun with her students was Ms. Jubaks secret
for success, she also took on a maternal role that natural-
ly is required while teaching. They laughed, I laughed.
They cried, I cried, she explained as she underscored
how significant a strong student-teacher relationship is.
Everyday was a learning experience, even from the
kids, she added.
Ms. Jubak recalled a time when she was decorating the
classroom for the holidays with her class. One boy in
particular who did not have the ideal home life seemed
especially infatuated by the beautiful decorations. She
decided to pack a box of decorations for him. This will
be the best Christmas ever she recalled him exclaiming
as he received the gift. That student continued to stop by
my classroom until he went into the service, she said.
Student-teacher relationships arent the only important
connection to a successful career.
Teaching is a gift that should be shared Who are
you hurting when youre in competition with col-
leagues? she said.
Retired for over five years now, she credits her grand-
children for being the best way to spend her retirement.
Mia, 9, Alyssa, 7, and Emma 2, spend a lot of time with
their grandma, doing creative writing.
A volunteer reader to her granddaughters class, being
in a school strikes a chord. I feel a void when I read or
watch a play... it brings back fond memories and I miss
it. When she visits, she asks the teacher if there is
enough time to do a thoughtfully planned out craft that
goes with the storyand makes sure she does not take
more time than promised.
Both of her sons ended up working in schools. Her
elder son Allen is in Christopher Columbus, and Joseph
is a teacher in Paterson. They grew up watching her
grade papers and seeing her devotion to her job, which
undoubtedly inspired them to work in public education.
Not all people understand or truly respect teaching...
she said of the mood voiced by some politicians, but the
satisfaction she received from teaching was enough. She
encourages teachers to stay strong: No matter what goes
on, endure itit is so gratifying.
She emphasizes once again the importance of teachers
trying their best to still find the time for fun, the creative
projects, and impromptu lessons. That is what makes
school and learning so memorable for students and teach-
ers alike. That I can vouch for. Thank you, Ms. Jubak.
March 2016 Clifton Merchant38
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By Irene Jarosewich
March 2016 Clifton Merchant40
By the ripe old age of eight, Jeff Labriola knew his des-tiny. I remember in second grade holding up a paper in
front of the classroom on which I had written When I
grow up I will be a teacher and show the class how to
make some art projects. Nobody ever told me you must
be an art teacher but I have been fortunate that I did not
have to struggle to figure out what I wanted to do in life.
While nobody told him to be a teacher, he did have
some impressive influences that guided him. His moth-
er Jean Zelenka Labriola was a teacher before and after
marrying and raising her family. His uncle, Jerry
Zelenka, who manages the A Touch of Nature live ani-
mal shows, was a fabled biology teacher at CHS for
more than 40 years.
Middle school was not easy for me, continues
Labriola, a kid who didnt like sports and preferred to
paint. But my art instructors at Woodrow Wilson John
Nick and Ed Slothoff convinced me of my talent. I
still stay in touch with Ed, who is 97, and his wife. At
CHS, I had Mary Ann Baskinger and Carol Hartman,
both phenomenal teachers. I wanted to be able to do for
children what they did for me.
As much as middle school was not easy for him,
Labriola now has the opportunity to make it easier for
others. After graduating Montclair State in 2001,
Labriola, 37, signed on as the art teacher at Christopher
Columbus Middle School where he has taught for the
past 15 years and where he is one of Cliftons favorite
teachers. Well, thats kind, grins Labriola when told
of the accolades, but I think I may have unfair advan-
tage over teachers of traditional academics because,
lets face it, my subject is pretty fun.
Type A Personalitywith the Brain (and Soul) of an Artist
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Clifton Merchant March 2016 41
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March 2016 Clifton Merchant42
Old School Methods, New School MindsetThe middle school art program is stronger than when
he was in school 25 years ago, believes Labriola, a
change driven in great part by the dramatic changes in
technology.
The careers choices for an artist today are more
expansive. No longer are they art teacher or starving
artist. Everything you touch, you use or wear was creat-
ed by a designer or artist. Computer-aided design bare-
ly existed back then. Today entire college programs are
devoted to it. It is truly possible to think of art as a
multi-faceted career choice, whether it be graphic
design, fashion, industrial design.
More than ever, our entire world is visual, he con-
tinues, Everything we interact with is design-driven.
So I work hard to get rid of the stereotype that art is not
a good career choice.
However, his teaching methods remain old school.
Labriola wants his students to use scissors, paper, glue.
Not cut and paste in PowerPoint, but use the real thing.
Students are proficient on their computers, but do not
know how to use manual tools.
He has each group of students for 45 teaching days,
during which he introduces them to a variety of medi-
ums oil paints, acrylics, clay, wire and does not
allow them to throw anything away until they at least
take it home to show their parents. If their parents are
unhappy and want to throw away their childs art proj-
ect, then thats their choice, but not in my classroom, not
in my trashcan. While you may hate it, your parents will
probably love it.
Cant Get More Clifton Than ThisHis maternal grandparents started out in Delawanna,
at a time, according to Labriolas mother Jean, long
before there was indoor plumbing. When Jean Zelenka
married John Labriola of Passaic, they, too, decided to
settle down in Delawanna to raise their family eldest
son John, daughter Jeannie, and youngest son Jeffrey.
Labriolas parents, sister and brothers family all remain
in Clifton or nearby. Jeannie, also a teacher, teaches
Special Ed at School #11.
In between Jeannie and I was a sister who passed at
five and a half months. I mention this because I
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Clifton Merchant March 2016 43
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March 2016 Clifton Merchant44
realize that this influenced the way I
was raised. Deep commitment and
loyalty to family, faith in God, sup-
port for one another and others,
always being there for each other
these were the most important val-
ues in life. The wonderful values
that my parents instilled in us.
His grandfather Vincent Zelenka,
Uncle Vinnie as he was known to
admirers in Clifton, was a Scout
leader and Board of Education com-
missioner. He was also an advertis-
ing artist in New York City and Labriola credits him
with providing the influence and the genes of an artist
in his life.
After attending School 16 and Woodrow Wilson,
Labriola graduated CHS in 1997. However first, during
his senior year, he was partnered with former mayor
Gloria Kolodziej during Youth Week, the CHS program
that partners a student with a public official so that
young people receive insight about how a city works.
The following summer he was the city of Cliftons
first art intern under then city manager Al Greco.
These experiences were crucial to the establishment of
the Clifton Arts Center, where Labriola continues to
serve as the president of the Advisory Board of Trustees.
Gloria and I had several conversations about what
could be done. The Clifton Art Association wanted a
place to show local art, the barns were sitting empty, the
buildings were partial finished and city leadership
wanted it so by 1998, the Clifton Arts Center, Inc. was
formed and I was put in charge. I was young, 19, in col-
lege and had time to dedicate to get the center going. I
was in the right place at the right time and it turns out, I
had natural organizational skills a Type A personality
with an artistic brain.
The arts center opened in 2000, transforming a city
that, notes Labriola, wasnt very art oriented back then.
Now it is an essential part of Clifton. I love to hear sto-
ries from the volunteers who work there. It has become
part of their identity. The other night, we held a
fundraiser for Christopher Columbus a learn how to
paint night for adults. The art center, the sculpture gar-
den, they make Clifton unique.
More Than Just TeachingSchool, especially middle school, which is such a
tough time for almost all children, needs to be about a
community that cares. Labriola believes in this principle
passionately.
My first day teaching was September 1, 2001. Ten
days later, we had 9/11. I dont want to sound like only
tragedy informs my point of view, but I did realize,
absolutely, how important it is that school needs to be a
safe place for students. A place of comfort and of sup-
port for young people. All teachers, first and foremost,
must be good human beings with their students It is
important for kids to have positive teachers.
So Labriola does not only teach. He serves as the
chair of the CHAMPS committee and is proud of the
success of the CHAMPS program at Christopher
Creativity, engineering, many volunteers and more gointo transforming the CCMS gym into an alwaysunique stage for the 8th grade Farewell Dance.
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Clifton Merchant March 2016 45
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Columbus, which he believed changed the school envi-
ronment. CHAMPS is a state-mandated program
through the federal No Child Left Behind guidelines.
We designed a program of expectations for the students,
explained and maintained a program of positive rein-
forcement praise, CHAMPS tickets in exchange for
prizes, staff and student recognition with the goal to
reduce sick days, suspensions, to keep children in
school. Last year, our school was chosen as a state
model. Thats a huge change.
He also advises the Student Council, helps with the
set designs for school plays, works with yearbook team.
However, probably one of his most noteworthy activi-
ties with the students is creating the much anticipated
8th grade Farewell Dance held the second weekend in
June. The Farewell Dance may be his signature event.
Each year a theme is chosen, but it is a secret for the
kids. What is most gratifying is that current parents, for-
mer parents, former students come and volunteer time to
transform the gym into an awesome event space. It
shows how strong the community is in Clifton, and how
much people believe and support the public schools. I
make a lot of the decoration at home, so no one gets to
peek. In lieu of graduation, this is their moving up cer-
emony. Last year the theme was circus and we had a
juggler, popcorn machine, the works. Its more than a
dance, its an experience.
This commitment to students returns to Labriola
when he hears back from those who have graduated.
Recently a student whom he taught his first year, who
now lives in Canada, was on a business trip in the New
York area.
He took a cab from the airport before boarding the
plane and came to Christopher Columbus. Hes in his
mid-20s now and has a great job with a media company.
He told me I just wanted to come out and personally
thank you. Because of you, I studied art in high school,
got into photography. You changed my life. I was
floored. But I love teaching, it may sound corny, but
every teachers creates their students. My students are
my artwork. It is very important for us as teachers to
accept and understand our influence over students,
which is a humbling thought, therefore since we are
given the power, we should choose to inspire them.
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As a boy, Cannici wanted to become an artist, a pas-sion evidenced by the murals and sculptures that grace
Clifton High School. At age 12, he read an autobiogra-
phy about his hero, artist Norman Rockwell, and decid-
ed to seek the great man out for advice.
Knocking on his front doorIn the 1950s, Rockwell worked in a studio in
Stockbridge, Mass., close to where Cannici spent sum-
mers with relatives. Rockwells studio was in the
downtown section of town, and Cannicis book had a
picture of the studio, letting him know exactly where it
was. I walked up the steps and rang the doorbell,
Cannici remembers. A tall, thin man came out.
Looking up, I could see he had a prominent Adams
apple. On his easel, he was working on a painting that
would become a cover for the Saturday Evening Post.What happened next would influence Cannici for the
rest of his life.
I was just a kid, he says, and he was working. He
could have told me to go awaybut he didnt. He was
warm, invited me in, and showed me his work. He
signed my copy of his Four Freedoms in that famous
block signature of his. I even took a picture of him with
my Brownie Hawkeye camera.
I never forgot how Norman Rockwell treated me.
Most people want to help otherssometimes all you
have to do is ask. By knocking on that door, it convinced
me to follow my dreams, to keep reaching for them.
Thats something I tried to teach my students. Though
his thoughts of an art career faded, Cannici always
remembered meeting Americas most beloved artist.
As a teacher, he encouraged students to write letters
to famous people, asking questions about what they
were studying in school. Many wrote back. Responses
came to Clifton High from people like Margaret Mead
and J. Edgar Hoover.
I wanted my students to see that if you believe in
yourself, you can be successful, he says. And when
my students became successful, like the people they con-
tacted, it was their job to pass their success on to others.
For 40 years, Bill Cannicithe son of an educator
and ex-Marine turned teacherhas been passing along
his personal success for generations of Clifton children.
September of 2006 marked the first time in four
decades he was not there to greet them.
Though his passion for education still burns, hes
decided to do other things with his life. Surrounded in
2006 by his office full of memories, in the school he
loves, he sighed, I decided it was time.
By Jack DeVries
Former CHS Principal Bill Cannici,who retired in June, 2006 after a 40-year
career in education, learned the power
of following your dreams early in life.
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Clifton Merchant March 2016 49
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In the BloodBecause of his fathers career, many might have pre-
dicted Cannici would end up in education, but his path
wasnt always that clear.
The office he decorated as a principal and spent
many hours in was a clue. Cannici will tell you its
museum appearance puts students at easetheyre
more likely to open up to him after talking about his
knights helmet or the Harley Davidson motorcycle gas
tank. But the objects and artwork also say much about
the man.
There are framed posters honoring Monet and
Einstein. Articles about Clifton Mustangs sports teams
are carefully clipped from newspapers and taped to a
door behind his desk. Every space is crammed with
memories and interestsa train tucked in a bookcase,
a Civil War horse in another.
Though Cannici defines himself as a teacher and
administrator, his office suggests hes more a champion
of the human spirit. And this is where he nurtures that
spiritthis school, his lifes work, is what gives kids a
fighting chance to succeed.
William Cannici was born in Passaic and lived at
212 Howard Ave., near Third Ward Park. His father
Peterironically a Clifton High graduate who later
became principal at Passaic High Schoolstarted as a
biology teacher in the city. The elder Cannici would
also serve as superintendent of Passaic schools.
Photo of Norman Rockwell by 12-year-old Bill Cannici.
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March 2016 Clifton Merchant50
His mother Caroline met Peter in her hometown of
Pittsfield, Massachusetts. After getting married, they
moved to Passaic and raised two sons: Bob, a former
mayor in Rochelle Park, and Bill, two years later. Both
would go on to Passaic High while their father was
principal. My brother used to see him in the hallways,
Cannici recalls, and call him Dad. Id see him and say,
Hey, Mr. Cannici. I put a different spin on itI want-
ed to be one of the kids.
My father was a damn good teacher, highly regarded
in the community. I still get compliments about him
from Clifton people who went to school in Passaic.
Cannici says he was a B-, C+ student. Unsure of what
he wanted to do with his life, he applied to his fathers
alma mater, Tusculum College, and was accepted.
It was like a movie set, Cannici describes the small
Tennessee school, with the mountains in the back-
ground. It was beautiful, and I decided to go there.
He spent two years at the school, gaining a love for
education. He began to achieve high grades, motivated
by his professors, especially Dr. Schroeder, a 77-year-old
teacher who taught various sociology courses. He was
stimulating, just fantastic, Cannici says. He really
turned me around.
I was inspired by dynamic teaching. Profs like Dr.
Schroeder taught from the gut, taught with passion
qualities I wanted in myself as a teacher and the teachers
in this high school. You shouldnt be a teacher if you
dont love the kids and your material, and have the abil-
ity to marry them together.
Deciding to get a diploma from a larger school,
Cannici transferred to the University of Tennessee at
Knoxville (he would graduate with a degree in social sci-
ences). When he began student-teaching, he found his
lifes calling. I taught in a little town in the mountains
called Clinton, he says. The school had been blown up
few years before by the Klu Klux Klan because they
decided to integrate. The only part of the building that
survived was the auditorium, and the new high school
was built around it.
The story of the high schools integration and destruc-
tion was later featured on the CBS TV program, See ItNow, hosted by Edward R. Murrow. The show stirredthe bitter feelings that remained in town, creating an
atmosphere Cannici describes as on the edge.
But that high school, he says, turned me on to edu-
cation. I got in front of a classroom and it was thrilling.
I remember preparing for hours and hours, not because I
had to, but because I wanted to.
Cannici also remembers the corporal punishment
doled out to misbehaving students. They didnt suspend
kids, he says, they paddled them. Only one person did
itthe principal, Mr. Human, whose name was ironic
for what he did. He was a nice older gentleman, who
would take the kids in his office and whack them with a
paddle for whatever they did. And then it was over.
On the day he left Clinton, he remembers going to the
bus stop and students waving out the school windows,
saying good bye to Mr. C.
It was that experience that convinced me to go into
teaching. But before making the jump to fulltime
teacher, Cannici joined the U.S. Marines in 1965.
I think I was inspired by the old John Wayne war
movies, or a bit brainwashed. But I believe in the Corp,
and if we had been activated (to serve in Vietnam),
theres no outfit Id rather be with. Cannici served in
G Company, a reserve outfit based at Picatinny Arsenal
in Morris County.
In the 1970s, CHS Psychology teacher Bill Cannici.
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Clifton Merchant March 2016 51
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March 2016 Clifton Merchant52
G Company was a grunt outfit, the infantry and,
obviously, I have short legs. Everything was running,
forced marchthings I absolutely hated to do. But you
had to do it.
Cannici did his 11 week boot camp at Parris Island,
the legendary Marine training ground.
It was brutallike nothing else, he says. If you
did something wrong, the reaction was physical. At the
rifle range, if you shot a Maggies Drawer, which is a
miss, theyd say, Drop your rifle, private. After you
dropped it, theyd rabbit punch you and you had to come
back up and fire again.
It was very physical, but all thats changed now, he
recalls. Still, it was a helluva experience.
After his six-month active duty, Cannici went to
Clifton, not Passaic, and got a teaching job at the high
school. I wanted to make it on my own, he says about
applying first at Clifton, not through my father.
For the next 15 years, he would teach at Clifton High,
becoming one of the first teachers in the state certified to
teach psychology and later writing the schools anthro-
pology course, still used today.
Cannici felt at home in the classroom immediately.
A good teacher is not a clock-watcher, he says. I saw
it as five shows a day, 180 days a yearI enjoyed it.
Passaic Special Education teacher Elaine Potkalesky,
one of Cannicis first students at Clifton, remembers
Cannici taking over from an older teacher and injecting
his classes with enthusiasm. He was a talented
teacher, she says, and it was obvious he cared a lot
about the material.
Using magic and juggling to illustrate his lectures, the
young educator fired up his students about school. He
became known for Gluck, a real duck he trained to play
the piano. We also conditioned the duck to play ping
pong, hitting the ball back to us with a paddle held in its
beak and conducted other conditioning experiments.
He learned a variety of things about his craft during
his first few years.
At first, he remembers, I taught to please the kids
and became oversensitive about how theyd react or if
they said anything critical. I didnt realize that a kid
could have a bad day. Some kids were going through
things like a divorce at home.
After the third year, I changed my philosophy and
began to teach to please myself. As a result, I won more
kids over because I was more relaxed. My enthusiasm
for teaching increased even more.
Cannici had many memorable experiences. As presi-
dent of the Clifton Teachers Association, he led the first
and only Clifton teachers strike in 1973. The two-day
work action brought much media attention and threats
to Cannici.
It was very difficult, he says, something nobody
wanted but had to be done. I was extremely proud of our
teachers.
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Clifton Merchant March 2016 53
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March 2016 Clifton Merchant54
Another memorable experience was land-
ing in the middle of a bank robbery at the
former Midlantic Bank on Clifton Ave.
At the bank before the first official day of
school, Cannici got into a conversation with
a teller and former student about her classes
at Montclair State. As he was leaving, three
gunmen raced into the bank, demanding
money. One gunman pointed a 38 caliber
pistol at Cannici as the others gathered
money from behind the counter.
The muzzle of the mans gun was mov-
ing, so I knew he was nervous, Cannici
says. I slowly moved my body sideways so
there would be some bone between me and
the bullet in case the gun went off.
When the bank robbers left, the Clifton Police
arrived and shots were fired. The girls in the bank were
hysterical, and I did my best to calm them down.
When Cannici got to school, none of his fellow teach-
ers believed his robbery story. Not until they read about
in the paper the next day, he laughs.
A Lead TeacherIn 1981, Cannici became VP for both
Christopher Columbus and Woodrow
Wilson Junior Highs. Five years later, he
became VP at CHS, a position he would
hold for the next 17 years.
While Cannici missed the classroom, he
saw his administration job as that of a
lead teacher.
I began teaching in a different way, he
says, at faculty, student council, and
board of education meetings.
In 1995, Cannici believed he was ready
for his ultimate role: CHS principal. But it
wasnt to be. First time I apply, I dont get
it, he says. Im extremely upsetI thought I deserved
it. To take his mind off not getting the job, Cannici
drove to Paramus Park Mall. A small rock paperweight
with an inscribed wording caught his eye. It was $15
and way overpriced. It didnt matterI bought it. The
words on it say: Never, Never Quit. It stopped me from
feeling sorry for myself and I snapped out of it.
Bill Cannici in USMCBoot Camp, 1965.
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Three years later, the principals
job opens again and I have a differ-
ent philosophy. I go for it whole
hog. Instead of saying if I get the
job during the interview, I say
when I get the job... And Ill be
dammed but I get it.
As CHS principal, Cannici began
various initiatives. Like he had
done as a teacher, he encouraged
students to paint murals in the hall-
ways, seeing the school as a canvas.
We have tremendous talent, he
says, and the murals deinstitution-
alize the institution.
He also brought sculpture to the
school grounds, along with a water-
fall and gazebodonated by a
woman who won it on the TV show
The Price Is Right. Eagle scouts built
benches near the gazebo, making it a
place where teachers could hold class
on hot days. Aesthetically, he says,
weve created a more college-type
of environment.
To cope with Cliftons growing
school population, he implemented
Zero Period, letting deserving
upperclassman begin classes at 7 am
and dismissing them just past noon
without a luncha privilege they
must earn. In 2006, 800 students
participates in the program.
Other initiatives Cannici champi-
oned are increasing the number of
advance placement (AP) courses
and helping students earn college
credits from Montclair State
University and Passaic County
Community College. In his final
year, 100 students took advantage of
the opportunity. We pay 40 percent
of the tuition, he says, and kids
take college courses with other col-
lege students taught by real profes-
sors. And they earn credits they can
take with them after they graduate .
Cannici also instituted programs
where students can study to become
EMTs or pursue an internship in
many different fields. If youre
devoted to school, he says, it will
pay off before you graduate. A kid
cant lose.
Though he loves his role, Cannici
admits the job comes with unique
pressures. Because of the schools
size, the job of CHS principal
remains one of the most difficult
principal positions in New Jersey.
I make major decisions that
affect kids futuresno question
about it. But I always believe in the
kids. Most kids will turn around
you just cant predict when. Even
when the kids been in trouble with
the police, you must believe in the
kidmost are going to come
through.
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March 2016 Clifton Merchant56
However, there are some that never do. Ive had kids
dead at 17, many more times than I care to remember,
from drugs and alcohol behind the wheel. While we
must always believe in kids, sometimes we dont catch
them in time. Theyre not buying what were selling.
He believes parents can make a tremendous differ-
ence in their childs life. Unfortunately, some parents
let things gothings like curfew and who their child
hangs out with. Knowing about your kid is so impor-
tant. As a parent, I lay down parameters. I wanted my
kids involved in a sporttheir choice, and an activity,
again their choice. And I want productivity, which
means good grades.
Looking Forward
Though at peace with his retirement decision, Cannici
knows hes leaving behind unfinished business. School
overcrowding is always on his mind, and he worries
about students, teachers, and vice principals going
down in the crush of hallway traffic and being injured.
We were criticized the other night at a planning
board meeting. Someone said, Look at them, Clifton
High School, despite all this stuff, their test scores are
going up. Test scores go up because we have a great
staff here. Over-crowing is counter-productive to educa-
tion. He said he was especially worried about the rift
thats developed over ongoing community debate
regarding the proposed construction of a new school.
There is vile bile between good people and its a
shame, he says. Good intelligent Cliftonites are at
each others throats, and Id like to do something to help
them get together.
To those Cliftonites, he says, In Clifton, were site
poor. Theres no ideal siteeveryones not going to
agree on any one of them. So get togetheragree to dis-
agreebut come up with a compromise. Put it to the
votersthe voters should have the right to decide on
something.
Dont talk about Globe, dont talk about Athenia
Steel, which are pollutedwere not putting kids there,
he commented on two of the many locations discussed as
potential sites for another high school in 2006. We have
to talk about available properties of which there are very
few. I understand why people want to fight for their
parkI do. But we need a solution.
Cliftons changing population is another issue Cannici
discussed, a change he believes is good for his school
and community. Cultural diversity adds a wealth of
background to your school population, he says. Its a
tremendous advantage. It reflects societyespecially
we who live in the great megalopolis of New York.
Were richer for the diversity. When I went to school in
Passaic, it was far more diverse than Clifton High
School. I grew from that.
About his diverse student population, he says, The
kids overwhelmingly are wonderful. They realize the
way to grow up in society is through educationthey get
that. However, Cannici also believes todays students
must deal with unique pressures.
Its harder for kids today to achieve, than say 1974.
Divorce, early marriage, and various diseases... Kids are
getting in trouble because theyre more mobile. Kids are
in gangs, which we didnt have in the seventies.
How did he deal with the changes? The philosophy
here is this: Were in neutral territory. Dont mess
around with gangs here, dont recruit, and dont become
violent. I have a hell of a lot of power behind me and Ill
use every inch of that power if I have a problem with
you. I have state law on my side, board policy on my
sidedont interfere with a teachers inalienable right to
teach, which is sacred. I also want every student to show
respect. With those things understood, we have so many
resources to help students.
As far as his legacy, Cannici wanted to be remem-
bered for making CHS the most vibrant education
community I could, hiring talented teachers, and giving
them a great place to teach. Because the better the
teacher, the better it is for kids.
When Admiral Nimitz immortalized the Marines
who fought at Iwo Jima, he said, Uncommon valor was
a common virtue. I like to think at CHS, Uncommon
teaching is a common gift.
Lorraine and Bill with sons Billy and Matt in 2006.
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Clifton Merchant March 2016 57
Dentistry is the perfect balance ofaesthetics and engineering, mixedwith fun and endearing interpersonalcommunication, said Dr. David J.Fredericks, our new associate. Ienjoy helping people make gooddecisions and positive changes intheir lives. Plea