By Caroline Pennacchio

With every new school year comes something or, perhaps, someone new. This year, Mr. Edgar McIntosh was selected to become the new Director of Instruction and Human Resources for the Briarcliff Manor School District. But who is Mr. McIntosh?

Mr. McIntosh, an Alumnus of UMass Amherst, was the Principal of Ardsley Middle School for five years before he accepted the position at Briarcliff as Director of Instruction and HR.  He is looking forward to engaging our school community in what he enjoys most – working with teachers, administrators, parents and students to improve curriculum and instruction in our schools.

Although the location of his office in the District (in the lower level of Todd Elementary School) is a change from working in a school setting, he has been busy meeting with faculty, staff and administrators in all of the schools. His goal is to prepare students in the best way possible for the world that is waiting for them. He will do this through working the district to give students access to appropriate technology, provide teacher support, and evaluate institutional practices through analysis of assessments and through observation of classroom experiences. Mr. McIntosh believes that the cornerstone of a strong foundation for Briarcliff students is to focus on the skills and dispositions that will prepare them for the complexity of college and careers.

In his short time here, Mr. McIntosh already loves Briarcliff.  He only has to walk into a classroom to see students engaged and excited about learning. So far, he has met the Elementary School students through the Apple Crunch event, entertained the Kindergarten classes by playing his guitar and singing, worked with difference committees of teachers to ensure that teacher evaluations are fair, make sense and support learning.  He has made several visits to the Middle and High Schools meeting students in the halls and classrooms.

I do not doubt that Briarcliff can achieve this with the steps that he has helped lay out. Student centered learning is already being integrated into several classes at all levels and a focus on the essential dispositions has been integrated at the Todd School. Technology through one to one devices is being rolled up throughout the grades.

And in the next few years, the importance of creativity, passion and collaborations will become clearer than ever before – all students will have technology equity and access. This will inspire inquiry based learning and the pursuit of student passions, and, with this, instruction will shift to a new level.

Although I personally will not be around to witness all of these changes within the Briarcliff School District, I believe that the power of student centered education, importance of personal passions and development of essential dispositions in students will result in positive changes in an already exemplary Briarcliff education.