Teeple They say that once you get the sand between your toes, you simply can’t leave!
Or maybe it’s because education and teaching others has always been a part of his life growing up.
Or it could that even if he is ‘officially’ retired, he knew he can play an important temporary role to ensure the permanent principal expected to be retained within a year or two will live up to the high standards already set.
Whatever the reason, Andrew Teeple is back in town, this time as interim principal at the Atlantic Highlands Elementary School.
Teeple is one of the new staff created by the Henry Hudson Regional school district with the recent naming of Dr. William Jacoutut as Director of Curriculum and Instruction for the preK-12 year regional school district. As principal of Atlantic Highlands Elementary, Teeple will also be working with Eric Pritchard, new principal at the Highlands school, Malissa Garcia, in her new position as superintendent working with Jacoutot as superintendent, and Thomas Lynch as the new Henry Hudson Regional School Vice Principal/Athletic Director. Garcia has served the district for the last 15 years as a teacher and instructional coach.
“What makes this transition truly special is that all of these administrative advancements come from within our own talented team,” said School superintendent Dr. Tara Beams. “These proven leaders already know our students, staff, and community so we are ensuring both continuity and a fresh, enthusiastic energy for the upcoming school year.” The superintendent also said the internal growth reflects the strength of the district’s professional culture and shared commitment to excellence.
Teeple coming into the regional district as principal of one of its three school years comes after he has already served a couple of years in the district in an interim capacity. But that was also preceded by his own graduation from Henry Hudson High School in 1988, after his elementary school years at Our Lady of Perpetual Help School in Highlands.
But even that background in education is preceded by the fact Andy’s father, the late Frank Teeple of Highlands, was a long-time beloved teacher at Henry Hudson and later served the district once again as a member of the Board of Education. And before the new principal was born, his mother, the late Judy Teeple, worked in the office of Henry Hudson Regional.
Frank Teeple, who died last January 5, was a history teacher at Henry Hudson for ten years before he became a guidance counselor at Red Bank Regional High School until he retired in 2002.
The new principal who lived in Highlands until he was 24 year old, now lives with his wife, Angela in Howell.
Teeple attended Rutgers University where he earned a degree in mathematics, then went to Kean University to earn his masters in Educational administration. He worked in the field of education for 31 years, the last 20 years before his retirement, first as a Principal for 12 years and then Superintendent for eight years. After retirement, apparently still hungry to be involved in education and helping others at least on a temporary basis, he started to work as an interim administrator and as such has served in in four different districts and six different schools.
But even with all this Teeple thinks it was his background and home that started it all. “You can say that education is in my blood. With my father an educator and Board member for as long as I can remember and he and my mom raising four of us children, the odds were pretty good that one of his kids would end up in education.”
Even with that, Teeple wasn’t positive he wanted to be an educator when he first started college. But when it had an opportunity to help another student, and did it successfully, it was like icing on the care of decision making and choosing education as his lifetime field. “ I have always liked to help people but was not sure what I really wanted to pursue as a career.,” he recalls. But during the summer after his sophomore year, at a time he was working at a law firm there was by a fellow worker who was taking a summer college course and Teeple agreed to help him with Calculus. So it was that during their lunch break, the law firm employee would tutor another employee. And “it was those sessions that sparked the interest,” Teeple said.
It has been a rewarding and highly satisfying labor of love since then, Teeple continued. He candidly admits that while the most difficult part of his work has been learning and acclimating to each school’s culture , it has also helped him build up a background that now enables him to bring experience, leadership and “an unrelenting commitment to supporting and empowering teachers and students to be the best version of themselves “ in his new role working with Dr. Jacoutot and his team.
The new principal agreed to take on the interim position for a year, possibly two, ensuring ample time for the Board of Education to select a full-time principal for the Atlantic Highlands school . That will give the board ample time, he believes,,to secure a full time principal while at the same time continuing to provide consistency, support and leadership while administration conducts a comprehensive and thorough search for the permanent position. During this time, the new principal said, “ I will assess programs and procedures and provide any recommendations to Dr. Beams.”
Sure there will be challenges, he said. “ Education and leadership bring a host of challenges on a daily basis. It’s impossible to prepare for the unknown. However, my experience has taught me the importance of being patient, reflective and empathetic in so many avenues in life. The biggest challenge is remembering that before reacting.”
But at the same time, there is lots of fun in the work, he continued, especially “interacting with the students and teachers as they embark (or continue) on their educational journey.”
Even after his retirement, or perhaps especially since his retirement, Teeple said he has also learned a lot because of his work at both the elementary and high school level.
“Since retiring, I have had the opportunity to work in a few elementary schools. I find that at the elementary level, most students still possess a pure love of learning and school. I also find that elementary school teachers have more opportunities to address the social and emotional needs of the students. There is so much more occurring within the walls of the classroom than just academics,” he said.
Taking the helm at the K-6 grade school in Atlantic Highlands July 1, Teeple said that since he’s been in the district before, “nothing truly surprised me. I had already come to appreciate the teamwork and work ethic of everyone, regardless of their position or title.” He is slowly getting settled in, he said, recognizing every school is different, but in many ways “ every school is the same,” so it shouldn’t take much time to latch on to the procedures and programs at Atlantic Highlands.
Teeple
