New UGL principal returns to his home district, By Ginny Raue Hewitt Thirty-three year old Dan Novak has lived in West Milford his entire life. Growing up in the Greenbrook section of town, he attended Our Lady Queen of Peace School, Macopin School and West Milford High School. In September he will again be in a township school - but this time as the principal of Upper Greenwood Lake School. He and his wife, Danielle, a teacher in Wyckoff, have two children, ages two and four. They live in the Hewitt section of town. “My children will be going to Upper Greenwood Lake School,” he said. Novak has a bachelor’s degree in writing and elementary education from William Paterson University and a master’s degree in educational leadership from Caldwell College. He was a third and fourth grade teacher in Wyckoff for ten years, and it was there that he met Danielle. He cites the Wyckoff principal, Mary Orr, a recipient of the National Distinguished Principal Award, as an outstanding mentor. “I feel very prepared for the position and I would not be here without her guidance,” he said. Novak said he is excited by the opportunity that is before him and very happy to have attained his career goal. “It’s a great time to be coming to West Milford as principal. There are a lot of experienced faces and some new faces. I look forward to learning from them,” he said. Taking over the Hewitt school, with approximately 340 students and a staff of 50, Novak’s immediate goal is to provide stability and sense of community pride in the school. “This is where I want to be,” he said. Living in the community and being an active dad has given Novak the chance to meet some of the children and parents of Upper Greenwood Lake School. He has been warmly received, he said. Novak expressed his gratitude to Bernice Colefield, superintendent of schools, and Iris Wechling, director of education, for their support and direction. “They’ve shown me the ropes. It’s a big learning process and they’ve made it easy and approachable. They are vested in my success,” he said. As a parent of two children who will soon begin their education in town, Novak said he is happy to know there are so many good people in the West Milford school system. His favorite part of being a teacher has been interacting with the students. He claims he is basically a big kid at heart. “To me the children are the most essential piece of this. It must be for the kids. If I keep that at heart, then I’m doing the right thing,” Novak said.