Christopher Carrubba takes over principal's job at Belvidere High School

BELVIDERE | Christopher Carrubba showed up at Belvidere High School in fall 1999 to root for the football players from Verona High School, but Carrubba was struck by the hometown crowd.

A social studies teacher at Verona, Carrubba was impressed by the neighborhood aspect of the school and the number of people who turned out for the game. Carrubba picked up on the school's sense of community and family.

Unfortunately for Carrubba's students at Verona, the County Seaters won that game, a few weeks before capturing a state championship.

"It wasn't a good Monday in school," Carrubba recalled.

Carrubba returned to Belvidere High School last week to kick off his tenure as the school's new principal. After spending more than two years as vice principal of the larger Sparta High School in Sussex County, the former CVS manager said he prefers the atmosphere of a small school.

Now Carrubba plans to bring his wife and three children to football games as well.

"It's not just me going to a job," said the 39-year-old Carrubba, who lives in Blooming Grove Township, Pa. "It's them being part of the whole community experience."

Carrubba's arrival comes about a year after the divisive dismissal of former Belvidere High School Principal Lelia Pappas. School board members were split on rehiring Pappas, leading to criticism from several parents and students.

Chris Halloran has served as interim principal during what the superintendent referred to as a positive year.

"Everyone has moved on," school board President Brian Smith said.

Carrubba seen as good fit

Smith said Carrubba brought a great deal of "academic strength" and seemed to have the right touch in dealing with the community. Smith's initial impression is that Carrubba would be a good fit with students, faculty and administrators.

"I think he'll be great," Smith said. "We want Chris to continue to be mindful of the environment, just the overall tone of the school."

Superintendent Dirk Swaneveld added that Carrubba has done work in curriculum and instruction as well as student management, given his years spent as an assistant principal.

"Chris had the background we were looking for, academically," said Swaneveld, noting Carrubba began meeting with staff members before formally starting in the position. "He's already hit the ground running."

The atmosphere that Carrubba wants to instill at Belvidere High School is one of collaboration.

Carrubba, who will earn $104,000, said he generally doesn't make unilateral decisions, but tries to involve all of the stakeholders. He said he wouldn't ask anyone to do anything that he wouldn't do himself, and his door is always open to parents, staff and students.

"I try to be very visible. I don't rule from the ivory tower. I try to get out there," Carrubba said. "I lead by example. That's the motto."

Back to school

A native of Oxford, Conn., Carrubba graduated from Marist College in New York with a degree in history and started working for CVS. As an assistant manager and later as a manager, Carrubba worked at three of the chain pharmacy's stores in Connecticut and three in New Jersey.

After about two years in retail where he discovered he worked well with younger employees in the stores, Carrubba decided to return to college.

"That was the best part of it," Carrubba said. "I enjoyed teaching them what to do."

At Belvidere High School, Carrubba said one of his initiatives is establishing a pilot program in the coming school year to provide personal learning plans for individual students. While he said he must still investigate the subject further, Carrubba said the plans would be a great service to the students, guiding them toward their areas of interest.

Carrubba also noted how the high school is expanding its offering of Advanced Placement courses in September from one to six courses, while also providing instruction in cooking and the industrial arts.

"I think people forget how much we have to offer all of our students," Carrubba said.