Mrs. Giurlando: An Ear Willing To Listen

The Glen Rock High School recently went through some serious changes, specifically in the principal department. Dr. Parent, a loved and respected principal for 3 years, just recently took up a new Assistant Superintendent position at Prospect Park Elementary. While we wished him well and sent him off with pain in our hearts, many students were also eager to learn who would be next in line to create a year to remember.  

This just so happened to be Mrs. Giuralando, the former Head of Guidance for Glen Rock. With her knowledge of the student body and lengthy history working as a teacher, she was especially qualified for the position. 

While it’s embarrassing to mention, the correct pronunciation of Mrs. Giurlando’s name was the first question that came to mind for many of us students when hearing about her promotion to the principal position. While she acknowledged the correct pronunciation to be gir-land-oh and went on to say “I will accept any pronunciation.. I answer to all of it, but most people eventually end up going to Mrs. G since it’s the easiest option.”

Mrs. Guirlando has a wealth of new ideas for the school and is clearly passionate about this job. This position is one she has been looking toward for quite some time, specifically for the 31 years she spent in positions like Head of Guidance, English teacher, and counselor for 5th and 6th grade.

I had the opportunity to learn about her goals and plans for Glen Rock, as well as get a deep dive into her personal life. Mrs. Guirlando started the interview off by highlighting the importance of making student voices heard and how she is ready to listen to what we have to say. 

 She mentioned multiple times in my discussion with her how much she loves talking to students in the hall and being a part of the mix, which is something this new position would be able to provide her with. It provides huge benefits for us students as well and will hopefully bring forth some long-desired changes to our high school.

This is another concept that Mrs. G really stressed, the idea that this truly is OUR high school. She makes it clear that she wants the kids to become excited to go to school and do away with everything that makes that more of a fantasy than a goal at the moment. She’d like it to become a 50/50 split between academics and character. While she acknowledges this is no easy feat, she looks to “take some initiatives and turn the needle” little by little to achieve her long-term goal.

We also talked about a big question on many seniors’ and underclassmens minds, will there be midterms and finals? While a concrete answer was not provided, she did voice her beliefs on the tests being reinstated. 

“I think the removal of the test was rooted in COVID, since how were we going to have midterms and finals with all the regulations, so I think it was an appropriate decision at the time but it’s time to revisit it“.  

While this might not be the news some of us were looking to hear, Mrs. G believes in doing what she feels will be most conducive for the students both this year and in the future. While we are all free to express our concerns or suggestions in the principal advisory committee

“[I] would love to hear what people have to say about it. I don’t have a yes or no answer on that but I do want to hear what people in Glen Rock have to say and have a conversation about it.“

If there is anything to take away from my interview with Mrs. Guirlando, it is the importance of us the students. Her approach to redefining the school depends on what those attending it want it to look like in the future, and she is ready to make our ideas happen.