Stephen Ngo is congratulated on March 29, 2012, by Steinmetz principal Dr. Eunice Madon.

Stephen Ngo will be become principal when Dr. Eunice Madon retires on June 30. A former assistant principal at Steinmetz, Mr. Ngo is currently the principal of World Language High School.

The local school council (LSC) voted to offer Mr. Ngo a four-year contract on March 29. A large crowd in Room 122 participated in that intense evening, the final day of the LSC’s two-month principal selection process.

Although I am the student representative on the LSC and Principal Madon is also a member of the LSC, by the LSC rules we were not allowed to vote for the new principal.

The ten members of the LSC who voted on the principal selection motion were teacher Megan Hedges, attendance administrator Renalto Roldan, student services clerk Sgt. Gerry Frank, two community members, and five parents.

Before the LSC voted, Mr. Ngo and assistant principals Don Mendro and Lynne Nuzzo, the other finalists chosen by the LSC, answered five questions submitted by teachers, students, and parents. I read the questions to each of the candidates. Then several people gave 1-minute speeches in favor of their candidates.

In his responses, Mr. Ngo said he would increase the attendance rate by studying the data and offering incentives to students. He said he would move the school off of probation and make Steinmetz so attractive that people would choose to move to the neighborhood because of the school. He said that the absence of a full-time nurse at Steinmetz was unacceptable. He said that his school has a clinic, with a nurse and doctor serving the students. He said Steinmetz could “look outside the box” of CPS staffing to obtain a full-time nurse.

Several of Mr. Ngo’s former students testified of his caring and concern for them. One former student shared how Mr. Ngo called him regularly after he found out the student’s mother had cancer.

Following the questioning of the candidates and the public participation, the LSC members met in closed session for an hour. They returned to the room filled with more than 100 people, waiting anxiously for the decision, and made their motion to offer Mr. Ngo the contract.

Freshman Cameron Dukes, World Language principal Stephen J. Ngo, senior Johann Sanchez, Principal Eunice Madon, senior Jeremy Valentin on March 29, 2014, after the Local School Council offered the contract to Mr. Ngo to become Steinmetz’ next principal when Dr. Madon retires.

Mr. Ngo’s vision for Steinmetz

The Star asked Mr. Ngo several questions about his vision for Steinmetz, his work and school experience, his personal background, and his current interests.

The following is our email interview.

 Why do you want to be the principal?

I want to lead the school as it goes forward. Our school district is asking for unprecedented changes and higher expectations. I would like to continue growing Steinmetz towards these ends. I love Steinmetz. It was my home for twelve years as both a teacher and administrator. To sum it up, I want to be the principal of Steinmetz so that the school can continue offering every student the upmost opportunity to be successful in life.

 How will you help the students succeed?

I will help students in every way possible. I want to place special emphasis on ensuring that Steinmetz students are prepared and successful in attaining their post-secondary needs and desires.

 How do you feel leaving your current school?

When I started at World Language High School three years ago, the school was on Level 3, academic warning-probation. I moved my school to Level 2-good standing within two years. Today, we are no longer on probation. My school was one of only three schools in the entire district to move off of probation. While I will miss my students a great deal, I feel secure that the systems and structures I implemented are in place to assure continued student success there.

How will you get involved in extracurricular activities?

I’ll encourage staff to promote as many extra-curricular activities as possible. I’ll also become directly involved with some of these activities. For example, as an assistant principal at Steinmetz, I spent numerous Saturdays running with Mr. Dowling’s marathon team on the lakefront. Admittedly, once they surpassed running three miles a session, my duties shifted more towards providing water support for the team.

One of my greatest joys was attending the LTAB Poetry Slam at IIT. Steinmetz won first place that year. Shadell Jameson’s reading was absolutely electrifying. Messrs. Hood and Sloan can attest that my wallet was damaged on more than one occasion, buying pizza for the team down at Columbia College those many Saturdays. I look forward to it again!

Will you continue DEAR (drop everything and read)?

I need to see the data on DEAR. Has it improved student reading? Pre- to post-testing, have expected gains been met? Literacy strategies and college readiness skills are essential to student academic success. If you look at the Common Core for example, it’s all skill-based. We must determine which specific strategies work best. Reading is one of the major English-Language Arts strands of the Common Core. How well does DEAR improve student ability to identify key ideas and details? What is the range of reading and text complexity students are using when engaged in DEAR? How well does it help students to integrate knowledge and ideas? I’d like to work with the staff in making a determination on DEAR.

Are you really going to keep the green uniform shirt? Please say “Ngo.”

Green is symbolic to Steinmetz. However, I want other colored shirts that signify specific student accomplishments. For example, World Language High School honor roll students have a different shirt than others. Attendance all-stars should have their own shirt as well. Let’s have student-athletes represent, too. Perhaps surveying students on this would be a good step forward.

What strengths do you see in our students and staff?

Steinmetz students are some of the greatest students on earth! I have the qualitative evidence to back that up, too. Former Steinmetz students that I know personally have attained success in every facet of professional life — education, medicine, business, etc. The staff at Steinmetz instilled the educational foundations for these successes. This speaks highly of their dedication and care.

What weaknesses do you see?

I see challenges not weaknesses. We need to move Steinmetz from Level 3 to Level 1. We also need to ensure that Steinmetz is a school of choice for the community. Steinmetz is vital to the longevity and progress of the neighborhood.

How can you help?

I have very specific goals and expectations for Steinmetz. I will implement the correct action steps to attain the desired outcomes asked for by the Local School Council, parents, students, teachers and community stakeholders.

 When did you teach at Steinmetz? I taught social studies from 1997 to 2006.

What did you like about teaching here? The students of course!

 When were you an assistant principal? I was an AP at Steinmetz from 2006 to 2010

What did you like about that job?

It helped prepare me for what I do now. I was also able to interact with more students. On average, teachers have 140 students. As an AP, I had almost 2,000!

What is your ethnic background? French and Vietnamese

How old are you? How many presidents have there been?

Where did you go to elementary school, high school, and college, and what did you study in college?

Ray Elementary in Hyde Park, Whitney Young H.S., Dominican University — B.A. (political science), UIC – M.Ed, Loyola — doctoral grad work (but I haven’t finished yet).

 Did you ever travel or work in another country?

I don’t get to travel as much as I would like. I taught in Japan for threes years.

Who is in your family?

My awesome wife — we just celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary.

Do you have any pets?

Yes, a little Yorkshire Terrier, Nikki.

Do you have a philosophy?

Effort x Ability = Success. You must have both to be successful.

What do you like to do in your free time?

Ha, I have very little free time. As it is, I am writing this at 4:22 a.m.! I do enjoy eating, however.

What is one of your favorite movies?

“To Live” by Zhang Yimou, starring Gong Li.

Favorite book?

“The Enigma of Japanese Power” by Karel van Wolferen.

Favorite restaurants?

Katsu for sushi, also Phillip Foss’ El Ideas (the El stands for elevated), Slurping Turtle for ramen, Art of Pizza, Chicago Kalbi for Korean bbq, T Tasty House for their xiao long bao dumplings, Ribs and Bibs in Hyde Park, Weiner Circle on Clark, and I have to say I like Tank Noodle for their Pho.

Favorite songs or artists?

I am a total dance music freak. Fusion Radio Chicago plays all day in my office and on my i-Phone when I exercise. Book of Love was one of my favorite groups, Depeche Mode too.

Sports teams? None in particular, but I do favor Chicago teams.

TV show? Mad Men

Websites? With over 3,000 work e-mails in my queue, I don’t have time to surf. Ninety-seven percent of my Internet time is spent checking e-mails. It’s awful.

Video games?

I’m very old school. Pac Man, Space Invaders, Asteroids were my favorites growing up.

Vacations?

I’ll take any island in the South Pacific!

What else should we know about you?

I care very much for students. Being an educator has been incredibly gratifying because it has allowed me to work with young people my entire professional life. I’ve always found that sharing a good gesture returns with greater reward.