Meet Goshen High School’s new principal

Goshen High School’s (GHS) new principal Nicholas Pantaleone joined the district in December 2022, taking over the role from Brent Rosenberger who served as interim principal last fall. A former Gladiator himself, Pantaleone graduated from GHS in 1995. Now he’s back at his alma mater, focused on creating a positive atmosphere for Goshen students. He sat down to introduce himself to the Goshen community and discuss ongoing issues at the high school.

What is one of your fondest memories of being a student at GHS?

My favorite memory of Goshen High School is beating Warwick for the Spirit Trophy in 1994 for the Football Section Championship.

What position did you play?

I was a defense linebacker.

What caught your eye about Goshen?

My son, Jack, is 2 and my daughter, Lily, is 5. She’ll be attending Scotchtown Avenue School this fall. I love that I have the ability to have an impact on the school they’ll be attending in the future.

How long have you been in the education field?

I have been in the education field for 22 years.

What prior positions have you had in the education system?

I taught for over 10 years at S.S. Seward in Florida NY. I was a reading teacher for sixth grade math and English, and second grade history. Prior to taking this position, I’ve been a principal in both elementary and middle school at Wallkill Central School District, as well as an assistant principal and athletic director.

What makes being a principal so enjoyable?

You can see the student’s continuous growth throughout their high school life - from the first day they enter their building, to handing them their diploma on the stage. I love being a part of such an important milestone in one’s life.

The school recently hired security personnel through Atlas Security. What influenced that decision?

The school was in need of additional support, including coverage during the day and after school hours. We didn’t have enough security at the time to support students who participated in after school activities. For example, there was substantially less security during night school, plays and athletic events.

How do you plan on controlling the ongoing drug issues at the high school?

Recently we have formed a drug coalition: a partnership with Burke Catholic along with the Chamber of Commerce and many businesses throughout the Goshen community. It’s a plan for us to provide resources for parents and students in the community. We need the support of everyone to accept responsibility and hold individuals accountable. We had the District Attorney and a representative from ADAC (Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Council of Orange County) come speak at a meeting.

We work with Teen Intervene, where kids who are disciplined for drug use, possession and distribution are mandated to have counseling sessions with a counselor. We’re looking for a lot of therapy and support for the students of Goshen high school. Regardless, we still want to hold students accountable to our code of conduct. Students can have a lengthy suspension or be referred to a Superintendent hearing.

Programs and assemblies coming up in the future will address these matters to the students. We’re looking to have more positive peer pressure by encouraging students to practice drug safety.

Have you seen similar drug issues in the other schools you worked at?

There are new issues we’ve had to address within the past few years because of the increase in vaping. More and more students are being hospitalized for THC.

The majority of drugs these high schoolers consume are disguised as candy and sweet treats. It’s marketed towards them. A lot of edibles tend to be laced with harder drugs or filled with harmful chemicals that will easily send children to the hospital. They don’t know the dosage of what they’re consuming.