Tony Pavia Returns to His Roots

Prinicpal Tony Pavia earlier this month that he has accepted the position of principal at .

Pavia will be replacing Interim Principal John Cook, who took over the position at the beginning of the 2010-2011 year following the sudden deaths of Principal Robert D'Aquila and Assistant Principal Kevin Sutton.

Patch spoke with the Pavia about his new position at his alma mater and what's ahead in the future.

Patch: How long have you served as principal at New Canaan High School? What was your experience prior to this role?

Pavia: This is my ninth year. I started in the 2002-2003 school year, but before that I was principal of for six years.

Patch: As a 1972 graduate of Trinity Catholic High School, why is it important for you to return to your roots?

Pavia: I’m at the point in my life where I feel as though I really am retired from the public school system. I’ve always planned on doing something with young people, and when this came up it just seemed to be a great opportunity. Back then the school was Stamford Catholic High. The school was so important to me, and so many people had important lessons. It’s just important to me that I try to go back.

Patch: It seems you had a really positive high school experience.

Pavia: I had a great high school experience. Like many people, I had a complicated adolescence. When you look back, you realize that at every juncture, there are critical people in your life that help you. It’s the reason I went into education. I had so many of my own teachers and other people in the building who helped me out that I wanted to pursue a career that allowed me to that.

Patch: How has the Trinity Catholic changed since you remember it 40 years ago?

Pavia: The school is significantly smaller now than when I went there. I’ve been in the building a few times and I’ve walked. It looks very much the same to me and it’s got the same spirit and sense of community it had when I was there.

Patch: What will be some of the biggest changes in your leadership transitioning from a public school to a private school?

Pavia: Working with young people is always the same and always has same challenges. I think what will be different for me is that it will be a much smaller environment. It will probably allow me to get to know students even better. One of the frustrations principals always have is that you never get to know enough students and never get to know enough about them. You have moments of quality time with young people, and you always walk away feeling you only know fraction about them. To have that opportunity to get to know everyone better and be better able to work with them will be different.  

Patch: New Canaan Public Schools is the highest achieving district in the state. What are some achievements you’re proud of in your time there to help maintain and improve student achievement?

Pavia: Believe it or not — I’m the first to say this — if you were to ask me what’s most important to me, student achievement and those numbers would not appear on the list. I think I was the principal during a time of rapid growth at the school. It was a time of expansion and a quite complicated renovation of the building. I presided during a time of change, but still kept a small school atmosphere and I’m most proud of that. Individually, I’m proud of drama because theater and the arts are on the map now. I’m proud of our achievements in athletics as well. The overarching thing is — when all is said and done — I was happy to be in that office when the school was changing rapidly in size and physical structure. Rather than hold us back we were able to move forward.

Patch: What are some changes you’re hoping to bring with you to Trinity Catholic High School?

Pavia: I’ve abided by a pretty stern rule when I go to a place that I make no assumptions. I feel there’s a lot I have to learn. What I’ve tried to do everywhere, both at Stamford High and New Canaan, is work toward giving kids lots of options in the school. I want to create a place where every student has somewhere to go, something to do, and somewhere to pursue their passion. That’s my goal every year and that’s my goal there.

Patch: Both you and your brother, Mayor Michael Pavia, grew up in Stamford and remained close to your roots. What keeps you in Fairfield County?

Pavia: First and foremost, we grew up in an extremely large extended family. I think that always anchored us in the community. I think both of us, at some point, left the town and returned because the lure of that extended family was important to us. Today, Stamford is still the home of so many of my family members and friends that I can’t imagine not missing it if I wasn’t here.

I tell everybody that Stamford is my home, but New Canaan really has become my adopted family. I love New Canaan and I will never forget the ties I have and the wonderful people I met. I tell people sincerely that I learned a lot, and learned from a lot of people. I’ve learned what a strong community looks like. I’m going to miss New Canaan and I’m going to leave with a sense of great pride in my years there. I think I’m going to leave with a lot of lifetime friends.