Duelks New Edison Number Two

Twenty-two years after he graduated from , David Duelks will now be handing out detentions and planning out class assignments.

Duelks, a physical education teacher at Edison for the last 13 years, was named at the end of June to serve as Edison’s new assistant principal. Duelks succeeds Matthew Forte, who left the district after serving most of the 2010-2011 school year as Edison’s assistant principal.

“He’s very active in the school community,” Schools Superintendent Margaret Dolan said to the when recommending Duelks’ appointment this summer. “He has a wonderful reputation and part of that is he is a role model for our students.”

Duelks’ bloodlines run strong through the Westfield community. In addition to his 1989 graduation from Edison and 1993 graduation from Westfield High School, his three brothers and father also graduated from Edison. His younger brother, Michael, is a .

Speaking to the Board of Education earlier this summer, Duelks noted a family connection that came in the BOE headquarters at 302 Elm Street, which was the high school until the early 1950s.

“My 85-year-old grandmother walked the halls of this building,” Duelks said of 302 Elm Street. “I am very proud to be starting as a new assistant principal.”

Duelks will also serve as the district’s gifted and talented coordinator, along with the assistant principalship. The gifted and talented role is a traditional post awarded to the Edison assistant principal. Westfield’s gifted and talented program is housed at Edison.

In addition to his student and teaching relationship at Edison, Duelks completed his administrative internship at the school.

“I have a very strong understanding of our culture and the culture of the students at Edison,” Duelks said to the board.