Interview with Mr. Arata 

Q: State your name and your occupation. 

"My name is Anthony Arata, and my occupation is Permanent Sub here at Valley Stream North, but I am in Grad school at St. John’s University in order to become a Special Education teacher.” 

Q: Have you lived anywhere other than Valley Stream and if so, where? 

“I live in Franklin Square.” 

Q: Do you enjoy your job? 

“I love my job.” 

Q: Anything else to add to that? 

“It's an honor to be able to come back to where I went to high school and to inspire kids how I was inspired to be a teacher.” 

Q: What inspired you to start working this job? 

"My 10th grade special education teacher Mr. Achatz.” [pronounced “ACK-its”] 

Q: How do you feel about the recent threat to this school? 

"It's scary, but the reality of every day as a teacher and a student is that it can happen anywhere and there's protocols to be safe, but there're people who want to harm students and we just have to be as safe as possible always. And if you see something, always say something.” 

Q: What would you do for the security of the school if you were in charge? 

“If I was in charge of the security...Hmm Well, we already have cameras everywhere, which is definitely necessary, and the ID is to keep track of who comes in and out. But I would maybe just have scanners that way they could see when you walk through, so it scans you. That way we can prevent the lines in the morning, so it'd be an easier transition for students and faculty.” 

Q: Do you have any advice for the new generation of kids? 

"Find your passion and do something that you love because I go to work every day, I'm happy to be there, and I love what I do. As long as you do something that makes you happy, it's then that you'll be set for life.”