West Brook Principal To Retire After 32 Years

Principal Oscar Diaz is retiring Thursday, after a 32-year career in education.

Carla Alvarez, who served as vice principal at West Brook for the past two years, will be the new principal.

"I've been at this thing for 32 years," Diaz said. "And I think it's just time."

Diaz's decision to retire was in part spurred by his health. The Clifton resident has had three back surgeries, the last one during spring recess in April.

His doctor asked Diaz to stay off his feet for four to six months, time a middle school principal doesn't have. Diaz rested for four days.

Aside from a need to take time for his health, Diaz said he feels satisfied with his career so far, having played a part in the lives of thousands of students in his long career.

"I know I'm getting old now because I now have the children of people who were my students," Diaz said.

Diaz started his career as an English as a second language teacher in 1979 at Memorial High School in the West New York school district. He came to Paramus in 1999, when he became the assistant principal at .

From there, he served as principal at a middle school in Teaneck for a year before taking the top job at for 11 years. For the past two years, he's been principal at West Brook.

Now, Diaz plans to finally listen to his doctor and focus on his health.

Interim superintendent Joseph Lupo said Diaz would be impossible to replace.

"You don't replace," Lupo said. "You look for somebody who brings something different because you can't replace a man who brings those kind of skills."

The Board of Education chose Alvarez to succeed Diaz at its Aug. 15 meeting, after three rounds of interviews. She and Diaz have worked closely over the last two years and Diaz has served as her mentor throughout her teaching career.

"The thing that we have in common is that we always look to have fun while we're at work and to make learning fun for the kids," Alvarez said.

Alvarez has worked in the Paramus school district for 22 years, serving as supervisor of special education at before become vice principal at West Brook in 2009.

"She's extremely well organized," Lupo said. "She has been involved in just about every facet of school leadership that there is. She knows the curriculum, both regular and special ed curriculum. And of course one of her greatest advantages is that she was mentored by Mr. Diaz."

While Diaz leaves satisfied with his long career, he said he would miss seeing students every day.

"In 32 years, I never said, 'I'm going to work,'" he said. "I always said 'I'm going to school.'"