First Job as an Administrator

I was in my 17th year of teaching at that time and I was a sixth grade teacher at Johnny Appleseed School in Leominster, MA. A job opening for a teaching asst principal was posted for Priest Street/Northwest Elementary Schools. This posting was opened around October 1987. Bob Salvatelli, my principal at Johnny Appleseed encouraged me to apply. I was hesitant at first for I did not have a certification for the position. Bob continued to push me to make a decision to interview. I finally agreed to apply for the position. I was invited to an interview that took place in the basement of Priest Street School. The interview committee consisted of Donald Bracani, principal and about 5 others who were teachers and parents. Donald sat at my right with his arms crossed and did not give any facial suggestions that I was doing OK or not. The other committee members were smiling and leaning forward which I took as a good sign. Well, I was offered the position and I was to start October 17th. I met with Lou Amadio, Superintendent  of Schools, who offered me a salary of $33,000 dollars. I was making $30,000 a year as a teacher and I was to receive a grant for $2,000 that year as well as another $1,000 as vice president of the teacher's union. So, I was accepting a job that required more time at the same pay that I would have received as a teacher. I had a young family (3 kids) and a wife who was staying at home to raise the children. The major problem was my teaching salary was paid over the school year and the administrator's salary was over the full year. We were living pay check to pay check and the first paycheck was about $150 less than my teacher's biweekly check. There went the food for us to eat!
At the beginning of November the superintendent decided to move Donald Bracani to a director of adult education. This move was obviously done to remove Don from the principalship. I became the Acting Principal of Northwest/Priest Street schools for the remainder of the school year. I was responsible for 2 building of about 900 students. The superintendent offered me a pay raise of $35.00 more each week. Because of my workload I had to give up my Saturday job that was paying $50.00 per week. More groceries off the table. It took me two years to receive my certification because I needed a course about school finance and Fitchburg State just completed the course and it was in a two year cycle. At the end of the school year I sat down with the superintendent to discuss the year. I explained my financial situation during the year and he agreed that I could work two more weeks during the summer at extra pay. The strangest thing that occurred was I was granted tenure after the second year and I still didn't have my certification as an administrator.