The dean’s office will look differently next year. Dean Phill Depa is the new assistant principal and Dean Megan Strachura is the new special ed coordinator at East.  .

“My new job starting as assistant principal of student activities and assessment will start on July 1, this upcoming summer.  My new responsibilities are coordinating any school events like assembly’s, guest speakers, and then also planning any assessments, working closely with clubs, like example the PSAT and SAT,” Mr. Depa said.

Mr. Depa has learned a lot from working as a dean the past couple years.

“In the Dean role there’s different situations that come to the door on the daily basis. Some of the things it’d say I’ve learned and that I can carry to the new role is talking with parents, making sure were on the same page, I always want what’s best for the students. Really just handling any situation coming through the door, the discipline rule has helped with that,” Mr. Depa said.

Additionally, Mr. Depa has experience as a principal which will be useful.

“Not only as a Dean I had the opportunity to be the Night School Principal, so getting students back on track seeing them graduate either on track or helping plan and run the summer school graduation,” Phil Depa said.

But, Mr. Depa will Miss spending most of his time dealing directly with students.

“What I’ll miss about being a Dean is the student interactions on the daily basis, I know in my next role there will be more planning and time spent with more adults, so I will be with students during the planning process but as a dean I’m seeing 200 students a day at least coming through the dean’s office, in the hallways things like that, having those interactions I’ll say I’ll miss but I still plan on having to a certain extent. I would say there’s different benefits but it’s pretty similar to everything I’m doing right now,” Mr. Depa said.