New Marshall vice principal hopes to be a role model

LYNN – His new job title is Marshall Middle School vice principal, but Rardy Pena said one of his roles as a second-in-command at Marshall will be serving as a Dominican-born role model to students from single-parent homes.The School Committee picked the 36-year-old Lynn resident on Thursday to fill a vice principalship vacancy at Marshall created by former vice principal Megan Franco?s move to Breed Middle School.Franco filled a Breed vice principalship vacancy created when Molly Cohen left Breed earlier this year to take the principal?s position at Marshall.?The job means a lot to me. I just want to do my best and make everyone – parents, teachers, kids – proud of me,” Pena said.A 12-year veteran of Lynn Public Schools, Pena started his education career as a behavior professional at the school program formerly based in St. Stephen?s Episcopal Church. He moved on to the Ingalls School English language and special education program before working for three years as a guidance counselor at Marshall.Pena worked in guidance for a year and a half at English High School before returning to Marshall. He applied for the vice principalship in January, and his promotion makes him one of two Marshall vice principals along with Stephanie Doucette.Pena grew up in the Dominican Republic, moving to New York City in 1992. He earned an undergraduate degree at the University of Massachusetts Boston with an interest in political science.He took the job at St. Stephen?s in order to make money, but an increasing interest in education led him to Cambridge College, where he earned a master?s degree in guidance. His wife, Stacey, is a Lynn Public Schools program specialist. The couple have two children, Nathaniel, 6, and Benjamin, 4.Pena is familiar to most of the eighth-graders at Marshall, and he knows his new job requires understanding students? needs while providing discipline.?We have to teach them there are consequences, but we need to find a middle ground,” he said.According to February enrollment statistics, 664 of Marshall?s 1,022 students – 65 percent – are Hispanic.?They need to know that being born in a different country is not an obstacle. I always tell students this is the land of opportunity. I know it is a cliche, but it?s true,” Pena said.