CLINTON - Students at the Lewin Joel School in Clinton were greeted by a new face when school started this year: Joseph Macrino, the new assistant principal. Joseph, a self-proclaimed voracious reader, musician, and exuberant learner and teacher, officially became the assistant principal as of Aug. 1.

Before he joined the Joel team, Joseph worked at the Waterford School district as a 3rd- and 4th-grade teacher, assistant principal, curriculum leader, and director of summer school. Joseph is following in the footsteps of his father, who was a classroom teacher for 20 years, teaching high school English in New London, and then went into educational administration.

"My intention has always been to do as much as I can in education, and I felt that moving into administration was the best way for me to do that," says Joseph, who completed his intermediate administrator certification alongside his sister at Southern Connecticut State University.

"However, education is my second career," explained Joseph, who started out in television as a producer for MTV and Saturday Night Live in New York.

He has an undergraduate degree in communications and media studies from Fordham University.

"Before I took my first job with MTV, I worked as a substitute teacher and it kind of planted the seed for me," says Joseph. "I went into teaching because I decided I really wanted to make a difference in the world and help kids. I know from my dad that education is the perfect vehicle to do that."

Joseph explained that once he decided to be a teacher, he specifically chose elementary school because it represented one of the greatest times of his life as a student and he wanted to be a part of that for his own pupils.

"I really wanted to replicate my incredible elementary school experience for my students and make learning fun and applicable for them the same way my teachers had done for me. This was the time in my life that I was first introduced to literacy and reading, and I have been a voracious reader ever since," says Joseph, who re-reads his favorite book, The Count of Monte Cristo, every summer.

Although he is out of the classroom in his new vocation, Joseph says his hope is to have as much contact with students as he can.

"Being the assistant principal is all about the students, and I want to be here for them as much as I can," says Joseph. "I will also be here for the staff and parents to find ways we can help the students here at Joel the best we can."

This is something Joseph wants for his own children, four year-old Elis and one year-old Coral May, when it's time for them to start school.

Busy with his new job and his young family, Joseph still finds a few stolen moments to let loose a little and sing with his band, which is still deciding on an official name. A passionate Johnny Cash fan, Joseph, who was just days away from meeting his idol at MTV before the singer/songwriter passed, also enjoys playing guitar and the banjo, but says his all-time favorite pastime is spending time with his family.

Joseph, who is already proving to be a strong and welcomed presence at Joel, is focused on aiding his students in their pursuit of becoming lifelong learners who grow up to become respectful members of the community.

"I am here to help the kids as much as I can. It can be tough to be a young person and make the right decisions and choices. I am here to support the students in the adventure that is learning and growing up and I look forward to working with them as well as the parents, the staff, and the community," says Joseph.