BRONX W www.BXTimes.com EEKLY June 23, 2019 10
GAI principal passes the reins to her assistant
BY PATRICK ROCCHIO
The longtime principal of a
local private elementary school
is ‘turning the page’ after more
than 40 years of service to her
school.
Anne Prokop, the principal of
the Greek American Institute in
Pelham Bay for the last 16 years,
decided now was the right time
to turn over the leadership of the
school to her capable assistant
principal.
Prokop began her teaching
career at the school in 1976 as an
English teacher, recalling that
she took two trains to get to the
school from Astoria in Queens
when she fi rst began, and still
travels a distance to work every
day.
“It is bittersweet,” said Prokop.
“It is diffi cult to leave a place that
your are committed to and love so
much; I always say I never went to
work, I went to school.”
Originally, Prokop said she
didn’t plan to stay at the school as
long as she did, but said she fell in
love with the environment from
the fi rst day she stepped inside
the building.
“I think the reason I stayed is
because I felt I truly was making
a difference here,” she said.
John Attanas, the school’s assistant
principal, as well as a
writer and playwright, will become
principal in September.
He said Prokop made a difference
at the Pre-K through
8th grade school by making the
school broader in terms of subjects
taught and in terms of outlets
for student creativity and
spirit.
Today, top-ranked high
schools often seek out GAI students,
said the principal.
“It is not just that our students
are academically well-prepared,
they are very poised and well-behaved,”
said Prokop. “We really
made this is a second home for
the students.”
The composite of the student
body has changed in the time that
Prokop was at the school, and it is
now comprised of students of all
kind of religious and ethnic backgrounds,
she said.
When she fi rst began, GAI
was primarily a school for Greek-
Americans, but in the time that
she’s been principal, it has become
more of a parochial/private
school for a variety of diverse student
backgrounds, she said.
“It interesting, because there
are a quite a few of other parochial
schools that students can go
to (that are) Catholic in nature,
but I would say a good 50 percent
of our students are Catholic.”
When she fi rst started in the
position 16 years ago, she and her
team set out to create the type
of school that they would want
their own children to go to, said
Prokop.
She said GAI made a number
of changes and additions under
her leadership: from the color of
the school building, uniforms,
creation of an Honors English
Seminar, Regents prepping, photography,
yoga, tennis, art club,
evening of the arts, painting, stop
animation, knitting and tennis.
“I think also the academic
standards of the school have risen
(over the past 16 years),” she said,
adding that she understands that
often times they are referred to as
that ‘little Greek school’ which is
doing great work.
The school’s parish council
also had glowing words for the retiring
administrator.
“Prokop was a great teacher
and a great principal and fi lled
the top position admirably,” John
Korres, vice president of the Parish
Council said.
“As principal she enhanced the
image of the school dramatically.
In fact our enrollment increased
during her years at the helm due
to her dedication,” he said.
Korres added that both the
students and parents admired
Prokop and that the Parish Council
is eager to work with her worthy
replacement, Mr. Attanas.
Anne Prokop, longtime GAI principal who has worked at the school since 1976, will
retire at the end of this school year. Schneps Media / Patrick Rocchio
Pennyfi eld Avenue residents besieged by loitering concerns
BY PATRICK ROCCHIO
Residents living just outside
the gate to Fort Schuyler are raising
concerns about loitering at a
very scenic backdrop.
At the terminus of Pennyfi eld
Avenue residents are raising concerns
about cars parking and loitering
into the late hours in a ‘no
standing area’ adjacent to a seawall
overlooking the East River
that offers unobstructed views
of Bronx Whitestone and Throgs
Neck bridges.
However, the scenic background
is across the street from
a pair of condo complexes known
as Pennyfi eld Estates 1 and 2 at
10 and 24 Pennyfi eld Avenue,
and the evening visitors are disrupting
the residents’ peace and
quiet.
Ernest Nargi, a resident of one
of the complexes, said that he has
personally observed littering,
drug use, the drinking of alcohol
from open containers and public
urination at the popular waterfront
This group took pictures along with smoke effects at area where there is a no-standing zone along a seawall on Pennyfi eld
Avenue in Throggs Neck. Video of this was sent to the Bronx Times. Photo courtesy of Ernest Nargi
location.
Neighbors of his are concerned
as well, according to Nargi.
“On some nights you will have
a dozen vehicles out there and
there is absolutely no quality of
life enforcement,” he said.
He shared with the Bronx
Times photos and videos of cars
parked in the no standing zone,
and one of a photo shoot that
blocked the street and included
smoke effects.
He said that he and some of his
neighbors “just want quality of
life enforcement.”
Nargi reached out to Senator
Alessandra Biaggi.
Biaggi said that her offi ce contacted
the 45th Precinct on his behalf,
as well as other appropriate
city agencies.
“The 45th Precinct has informed
my offi ce that they will
have a greater presence and more
enforcement of any loitering going
on,” said Biaggi.
Neighbors are raising concerns about parking in a no-standing zone near the
terminus of Pennyfi eld Avenue. Photo courtesy of Ernest Nargi
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