As the unconventional 2020-21 school year begins with remote learning in August, York Community High School welcomes the new principal, Dr. Shahe Bagdasarian, to the administration team. ThisIsYork spoke briefly with Dr. Bagdasarian about his prior connections to York, what he listened to this summer and who he is rooting for during the World Series. 

What prior experience do you have?

Before coming to York High School, I was a principal for five years at Glenbard East High School. Before that, I was an assistant principal for instruction at East and an assistant principal for student services. Before that, I was a dean of students here at York, and a teacher here for a year. 

What did you teach while you were at York?

I taught science and English classes, and I was a special education teacher.

What is something unique or interesting about you?

Some people may know, but I am related to Ross Bagdasarian who is the creator of the Chipmunks: Alvin, Simon and Theodore. He was my grandfather’s second cousin. 

Do you have any advice for students for their first week?

Just go in with an open mind. Come into the school year ready for new opportunities and challenges and know that you can accomplish anything you want. We are here to support you. 

What is your most played song this summer?

I love Coldplay. Anything Coldplay off of Amazon Music.

What is the most recent show you binged or book you read?

To be honest with you, I have not watched much TV in the last few months. From a reading perspective, the most recent book that had more to do with leadership I completed was “Good To Great” [“Good To Great: Why Some Companies Make The Leap…And Others Don’t” by James C. Collins].

Cubs or Sox?

Yankees!

The historic 2020-2021 school year began remotely on August 24; however, Adam Rubitchek joined the York Community High School administration team as Assistant Principal of Instruction this summer. ThisIsYork reporters spoke to Rubitchek about his passion for science, his prior connections to York and his favorite summer firepit tunes. 

What prior experience do you have?

This is my first year in the position; I was coming from Lyons Township High School. I was the Math and Science Division Chair. Prior to that, I was at Main West High School, and I taught biology and chemistry. 

What is something unique or interesting about you?

Something I think you all should know: even though I am new to York this year, I am not new to York. I am actually in the class of ‘97. Go Dukes!

What was your best and worst subject in high school?

My best subject in high school was probably the sciences. I love biology; I love anatomy and physiology and medcareers just like some students today. Second semester, I got to work in Elmhurst Hospital and shadow some of the doctors over there. I did like my English class a lot, but anytime anything involved poetry, whether you had to read poetry, interpret it, write it, that was painful for me.

What is a message or piece of advice for students?

If I have any advice for students this week, it is go with the flow. Just make sure that you communicate with your teachers and get to know them as best as you can in remote learning. They are here for you. They want you to have success. If you are struggling, let them know. If you are passionate about something, talk to them. Let them know. Together we are going to make this as good of a year as we can, and we need your help to do that.

What is your most played song this summer?

We have been listening to a lot of Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats. I don’t know if there is a particular song, but the album that came out last year has been on while we put a fire on in the backyard and relax. That is in place of actually going on vacation, so that is probably our biggest jam.

What is the most recent show you binged or book you read?

My daughter and I have been binging “His Dark Materials” on HBO. The first season wrapped up a little while ago, but we listened to the book. Then we watched it [the series], and the trailer for the second season just came out; we’re pretty excited about that.

Cubs or Sox?

Well I’ve got some White Sox stuff here; I think White Sox. I don’t know who that other team is you’re asking about. 

With the unusual start to the 2020-2021 school year, York Community High School underwent  administration changes, including Meridith Sheriff, the new assistant principal for Student Services. Members of the ThisIsYork staff were greeted excitedly by Sheriff prior to the first week of school where they learned more about her history at York and the popular TV show she finally binge watched. 

What experience do you have prior to this year?

I’m actually not entirely new to York; I spent five years here at York as a school counselor and a counseling department chair from 2009 to 2014. I’m super excited to be back in this community; I cannot wait to see our students in the building, and work with our parents and our staff for the school year. Previous to [my time at] York, I was a teacher. I taught AP Psychology for five years at Homewood Flossmoor High School, and then I spent many years after that as a school counselor both at Lyons Township High School and here at York. My most recent position when I left York was a director of guidance at Carl Sandburg High School in Orland Park, which is similar to what I’m doing now. I’m thrilled to be back here and happy to be a part of the Duke family again.

What is something unique or interesting about yourself?

I am a mother of four daughters. My oldest is eleven years old, and she is adopted. About a year after she was born, we found out I was pregnant with triplets. So, my oldest is eleven [who is] my daughter Joey, and then I have triplet daughters, Casey, Lucy and Ruby, who are nine.

What is a message or a piece of advice that you have for students this first week?

First of all, we cannot wait to see you. It is so exciting to be back in the building after all these months of being away from here. We cannot wait to see you; whether it is on the computer to start and we transition to in person, it doesn’t matter. We just cannot wait to see your faces. We cannot wait to connect with you. We cannot wait to build new relationships, strengthen the old ones and just get you back to where we know all of us want to be. We want to be learning, we want to be with each other, we want to be experiencing life in as much of the new normal setting we can be in. So, we just want to say we are happy to be back, [and] we cannot wait to be back. We know this is different, but your teachers [and] the staff here at York are so excited to have you back, and we just can’t wait to see you.

What’s the most played song this summer for you? 

I am just going to go with [what I’ve listened to] most recently. My daughters are obsessed with Harry Styles, so “Watermelon Sugar” is the most played in my house and in my car when I am  with my children.

What’s the most recent show you’ve binged or book you’ve read?

Over the course of COVID [quarantine] and then through the summer, I’ve actually binged from season one to the end of “The Office”. I had seen bits and pieces of each of the seasons, but I had not seen all of them straight through, and I had never seen the finale, and [when I watched it] I cried like a baby.

And most importantly, are you a Cubs or a Sox fan?

Okay, so that’s a really tough question. I am South Side. I was born on the South Side, my parents are South Side, but my husband and my siblings and I, we are Cubs fans.