Principals welcome challenges of new posts New administrators at district's Lincroft and River Plaza schools BY MARIANNE KLIGMAN Correspondent River Plaza's new principal, Linda Pesce, is pictured with fifth-grade students Alyssa Torre (l-r), Rachel Treglia and Lance Van Glahn. LINCROFT - Luigi Laugelli stands at the front of the classroom and points to a bright-eyed, giggling young man. He asks his name and then gives him a clue word to remember. "Now whenever I see you, you give me that clue, okay?" he tells the student. "That is how I will learn your name." Laugelli, Lincroft Elementary School's new principal is only the fourth principal in the school's proud 50-year history. He is determined to learn every one of the nearly 500 students' names by the end of February, and he only began his new post in December when Michaele McKenna retired after 11 years as principal. "He is like a magnet to the kids," explains second-grade teacher Mary Marzigliano, "they love him." Laugelli is equally in love with his new job. He has boundless energy and spends most of his time in the hallways and classrooms greeting students and observing their activities. Lincroft Elementary School Principal Luigi Laugelli is pictured with (l-r) Brendan Rumsby, Caroline Buckley, Joseph Gentempo and Caroline Kratka in front of the tile wall created in celebration of the school's recent 50th anniversary. His technology background is rapidly transforming the way business is done in the office to the delight of the secretarial staff who he is mentoring in the use of the computer. He also said he intends to mentor his teaching staff to infuse their classrooms with technology going forward. One of Laugelli's first initiatives was to redesign the school Web site with parental and staff input. It is chock full of information, which he personally updates each day as the official Webmaster. "We always had a parent volunteer manage the Web site, and they did a great job, but with administration taking on the task, we can quickly update it during the school day." Laugelli holds two master's degrees, one in educational leadership from Fairleigh Dickinson University and a technology leadership concentration from Teacher's College at Columbia University. A Long Branch native, Laugelli graduated with the highest honors from Monmouth University with a bachelor's degree in Spanish and elementary education, and a minor in information technology. He began his professional career in Long Branch public schools, rapidly ascending the educational ladder from Spanish teacher to reading and writing facilitator to principal. His previous position was that of district manager of technology for the entire school district. Laugelli's proclivity for technology is apparent in his office, which is devoid of piles of papers but equipped with neat bookcase holding volumes of CDs and DVD files. When asked what strikes him the most in coming to this very different community from the Abbott district he left, the latter enjoying a much higher level of funding per student, he responded, " The dedication and stability of our staff and strong parental involvement makes the difference. Although I do not find any curriculum deficit at all; I feel it is very progressive and moving forward." He added he is absolutely amazed at the level of parental involvement explaining that there is a committee for everything . The only real need he sees is that of physical space. He would like to see all his staff have their own space and not have to share the library or use a cart for their equipment. In themeantime, he is still observing as a newprincipal in a very successful schoolwith the intention, he stated, of "making a good school great." River Plaza Linda Pesce took the helmat River Plaza School in September 2007when the previous principal, Marie Hartnett, was promoted to district director of curriculum and instruction for mathematics/science for theMiddletown School District. Pesce, who lives in Brick, has spent the majority of her educational career in nearby Colts Neck where she began the elementary Spanish program in 1981 and served as interim principal at the primary school. With an undergraduate degree from Georgian Court, she completed her master's degree fromtheUniversity ofArizona'sGuadalajara school where she taught in Mexico during the summers. Her experiences as principal in the primary school have been very helpful to her staff as they incorporate the district's newelementary language arts initiatives. Pesce has arranged for mentoring opportunities and instruction for her staff with Colts Neck teacherswho have successfully implemented the same programs. She explains, "I tellmy staff that they do not work forme, I work for them. That is our relationship. I am not a building manager but an educational leader and facilitator.And it is my job to give them the tools and resources they need to be successful." She is very impressed with the River Plaza staff, stating, "I could never ask for a greater group of individuals to be working with." Similar to Laugelli's reaction at Lincroft, she is also awed by the level of parental involvement in the school. She said she is particularly impressed by the students' level of community service projects as prompted by parental and teacher leadership. During a recentweek, studentswere participating in "Have a Heart, Give a Book," a Valentine's Day project initiated by a River Plaza graduate andBoy Scout, ThomasMannarino, who now attends Thompson School. The pink, heart-bedecked boxwas full of book contributions by the students destined for students who lack the resources to purchase their own books. Pesce has also planned her own community service school-wide event inMarch with Hats-on Day sponsored by the Foundation for Children with Cancer. On that day, studentswill be encouraged towear their silliest hats to school to raise awareness of those childrenwhowear hats to cover the effects of cancer treatment.Donationswill be collected for the foundation. When asked about challenges that lie ahead, she commented that River Plaza has an acute space shortage, which will hamper the implementation of any new programs. Parking is also an issue since the property is very small. In the short term, Pesce sees her priorities at River Plaza School as the successful implementation of the new elementary curriculuminitiatives including the newwriting program. Of longer termplans, she states, "Iwould like to see us developmore with the arts- a drama program, visual arts and performing arts. These are the dreams I would like to achieve here."