New Ridgewood High Principal Tom Gorman Returns Home

He's tasked to maintain and improve one of the country's most lauded high schools in a town he's called home for nearly 40 years. No pressure.

Tom Gorman,  of  in April after the resignation of Jack Lorenz, appears more than up to the task to continue the tradition of excellence.

"I think I'm putting more of a pressure on myself because I'm a product of the system and I do live in the community so I want to make it the best it can be for my children as well as all the children that will be coming through these halls," Gorman, a 36-year resident of Ridgewood, said in an interview. "There is that pressure but it also allows me to have a more unique understanding of the wants and needs of the community."

The former principal of Westwood Jr./Sr. High School has been spending his summer learning the lay of the land, meeting with parents, students and teachers in preparation for the September start date.

"I'll be popping in and out of classrooms, talking to as many students as I can, meeting with them, their clubs, the different elected officials of the school district," Gorman said. "My door is constantly open and I'm constantly meeting with people. I want to hear their concerns and try to solve any issues I can."

Gorman, who said he's a keen listener, expects much of the 2012-2013 school year will be about gathering a sense of what drives the community and how to collaboratively tackle the immense challenges in education.

He's been poring through parent surveys from the last two years as well as surveys high school teachers completed prior to the summer break.

"I'm hoping by the end of the year I'll be coming up with a vision for the next five years with input from the stakeholders – the parents, the students, the teachers," Gorman said.

First a classroom teacher, Gorman held the reigns at the smaller Westwood Jr./Sr. High School and was previously a top administrator at the much larger Ramapo High School in Franklin Lakes.

"Each brings about advantages and disadvantages," he said. "I think that's helped mold and shape my philosophies as well as my views on education."

Ridgewood features one of the county's largest high schools, with about 1,800 students. To match its student size, there are a wealth of activities, clubs, athletics and academics for students at 627 E. Ridgewood Ave, he said. The new principal believes it's important that the students take advantage.

"The biggest issue I have with some students is they don't get involved," he said. "There's so many opportunities, I'd hate for them to miss out."

Like all things in life, an equilibrium must be sought, he said. Ridgewood has been among the leading districts in exploring ways to ease the burdens that come with being a student, even implementing a policy of not issuing homework to students over breaks.

"We are aware of stressors but it's also our job to try to teach them how to balance this with a healthy lifestyle while mantaining the rigor and relevance of the lessons," Gorman told Patch.

Though he's still just getting his feet wet in the RHS halls, Gorman says he can't wait to witness the core thrill of education in his hometown.

"I'm most excited about, most eager to begin starting work with the students and teachers," he said. "It's the teachers and students who bring this place alive. You get to see the spark go off when a student wants to pursue something; you really start seeing these connections with the students. And that's what make education so enjoyable."

Stick around for the second part of our interview with Tom Gorman on Saturday morning. We'll tackle navigating the teacher contract issue, technology challenges, the expectations of the parents, professional development and much more.