Emboldening culture at the core of new JFK principal’s ambition
September 11, 2024 at 11:35 p.m.
One of Colleen Moore’s favorite parts of the first day of school last week was opening the doors.
“When the kids come in and give you a hug and tell you they missed you, it’s just very sweet,” she smiled. “And now, this is my fourth year. So, the students know me, and I’ve seen them grow.”
Moore’s coordinated flare—a teal jumpsuit embellished by similarly hued, dangling earrings—seemed to appropriately embolden her style of professionalism. In a matter-of-factly yet nurturing essence, she discussed her fondness for John F. Kennedy Elementary School on Thursday, Sept. 5, a few days into the 2024-25 school year, and optimism about being the new building principal.
After three years as assistant principal, she was hired at a salary of $167,700, pro-rated for this school year as her appointment wasn’t official until the Port Chester Board of Education approved it at their Aug. 15 meeting. She fills the vacancy left by Judy Diaz, who resigned at the end of the last school year.
“I’ve had enough time in the building to have established strong relationships with families and students and teachers and staff,” Moore said. “It’s an exciting time to be able to continue the trajectory forward, knowing enough of the history but also having goals to look towards and work for.”
Superintendent Dr. Aurelia Henriquez said during the interview process, it was apparent that Moore “exudes a deep passion and commitment to the Port Chester community.”
“She has earned the respect and admiration of key stakeholders through hard work and dedication,” she added. “She continues to honor the prideful history of Port Chester while embracing change. I am confident in her ability to take the school to new heights, and I am genuinely excited to work with her and support her in this new role.”
Moore described being drawn to the Port Chester School District for the same reasons she gravitated to the general community.
After starting her career as a dual language teacher and living in New York City, she and her husband were ready to settle down outside of the urban environment. “We wanted a diverse community,” she said. “We wanted schools that offered a dual language program; that was important to me. As a longtime dual language instructor, I really believe in bilingual education and the power of it.”
The search led her to Port Chester circa 2009; she called the Village home for around nine years. And in that time, she took her first job in the school district as a bilingual interventionalist at John F. Kennedy Elementary School.
It was a natural opportunity, she said.
Four daughters later—a blessing for Moore, growing up with brothers and always wanting a sister—she ultimately left the district after two years and moved to her hometown of Pound Ridge, where she still lives, to be closer to the support of her family.
But when the John F. Kennedy School assistant principal position opened, the pull to Port Chester returned. She called it a homecoming.
“I just think there’s a lot of exciting things happening here,” Moore said. “Even though we’re a lot of students and a lot of people, it feels much more tight-knit than it would look on paper.”
Since starting in the field, Moore, now 41, said working with diverse populations had been a consistent priority, particularly if it meant serving students who face instructional challenges, such as newcomers and English as a Second Language learners.
“It’s about making sure we’re giving access points for all learners and scaffolds that make sure students are reaching where they need to be,” she said. She’s fundamentally a believer in the “whole child” philosophical approach to education.
“The academic piece is important, but we also want to see our kids becoming citizens of the world,” she said. “Make good choices, be helpful and do good for others. So, that’s a lot of the work we do here.”
At John F. Kennedy Elementary School, Moore believes she has the advantage of already having a feel for the community—she’s been a part of the work that goes on, has played a role in shaping school values and priorities. And that gives her an edge going into the new school year, easily being able to pick up where they left off.
It’s hard to miss John F. Kennedy students at community events, often the loudest of the bunch when exhibiting school pride during parades or at Band Night. Smiling, Moore said in a way that’s intentional. Fostering community is a point of purpose for administrators.
They find it important because the school is so large, by far the most populated elementary school in Port Chester. It would be easy for students to feel a disconnect if the faculty wasn’t mindful.
“We have a really strong school community here, a nice culture and climate. It’s really just a warm building,” Moore said. “We’re a large school, we’re 750 kids, spread across two buildings. But even when visitors come, they’ll say: ‘I feel like this is such a cozy school, it’s so inviting, it’s very sweet.’ And that’s a nice thing to hear about any school, but particularly when it’s one of our size. I really do believe that we value that.”
“We want our kids to come up together and see themselves in the larger community and feel they have a place where they belong,” she later added. “Our mascot is a Ram, and we always say they come to us as mini-Rams, and they grow up and go through the whole system, middle school and high school, to become Port Chester Rams. We give them that idea, that sense of community, early on. That they’re a part of the JFK community, but also the broader Port Chester School District community.”
Over the last three years as assistant principal, Moore said the administrative and teaching team has been aptly focused on social-emotional learning and fostering a sense of belonging. In a world recovering from COVID, it was important to regroup and rethink what’s needed in a school culture, she said.
“We put a real focus on building school-wide expectations and what that looks like. And we did that with the students,” she said, describing one of her first initiatives. The administration invited older students to a brainstorming session to discuss how to make the building into a good-natured, welcoming place.
The sessions led to the development of John F. Kennedy School’s four school-wide expectations: “be kind, be safe, be respectful and take care of our school and everyone in it.” It was the same year the administration started its annual SLOPstacle race tradition, an award for students for committing to the character work throughout the year.
“It gave them a piece of that student ownership. It’s not like we’re telling you how to do things, we all decided this together,” she said. “We anticipate that they’ll make mistakes. If you can’t make mistakes in elementary school, when can you? But when they make those mistakes, it’s being able to reflect on that and make them a teachable moment.”
In her next few years as principal, Moore is dedicated to continuing the traditions and eager to build on the work. For example, she said they’re getting ready to launch a peer mediation group program, where interested students will be trained to help in conflict resolution.
She’s also looking to amplify the school’s academic initiatives and communication efforts—to share more stories and photos with families so in turn, they’ll feel more invested in the school.
The hustle of the first week of school brought a smile to Moore’s face. “It’s been wonderful,” she said, to see the building come alive again.
“I just feel so fortunate. This is an incredible opportunity, and I feel so lucky to have a chance to do this,” she said. “I’m so grateful; I could not have asked for a more communicative, dedicated, supportive, hardworking group of faculty and staff. Everyone has been so wonderful and goes above and beyond to keep students at the heart of all decisions being made. I’m excited to continue building that team as we work together.”
And she does not take lightly the work they do.
Elementary-level education, Moore said, has always been her interest. Not only does she feel it’s a natural fit with her nurturing personality, but the responsibility of the position is heavy.
“We feel a sense of urgency right now because we want our kids to be successful in doing well in reading, writing and math. And in general, everywhere, there’s a real urgency to get kids where they need to be,” she said. But at the same time, it’s just as important to make students want to pursue that adventure of growth.
Elementary schools are the place where students are introduced to the education system. Therefore, she said, it’s their responsibility to ensure a positive association with the environment is made.
“A lot of learning, honestly all of learning, should be joyful. It should be engaging, exciting, and it should be fun. You should like coming to school,” she emphasized. “That’s something else we’re talking about a lot this year. Thinking about reflecting on our own practice and what’s happening in the classroom. Are experiences meaningful, engaging and joyful to our students? When they come into our rooms, are they excited to be here?”
The focus, she said, is to think strategically about making John F. Kennedy an inviting place that also captures students’ imagination. It’s her motive to instill a love for learning.
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