Last modified: Thursday, September 4, 2008 9:51 AM EDT New in Norton Norton Middle School Principal Christopher Baratta greeted students when they returned to classes on Wednesday. (Staff photo by Drew Pillsbury) Norton Middle School principal also was nervous BY MICHAEL GELBWASSER SUN CHRONICLE STAFF NORTON If Norton Middle School students were nervous about classes resuming Wednesday, their new principal understood. More than they realize, in fact. "Believe it or not, administrators go through the same anxiety students do," Christopher Baratta said. "Are we prepared? How are we going to make it a successful year?" Baratta takes over for Roger Parent, who retired after seven years here and became principal of the St. Kevin School, a parochial school in Warwick, R.I. Baratta, 45, of Mansfield, comes to Norton after four years as principal of Taunton's Joseph H. Martin Middle School, which serves grades 5 through 8. Norton's suburban setting was part of the appeal of coming here, he said. He has primarily worked in urban schools. "You always want to challenge yourself to do better, or position yourself to challenge yourself," Baratta said. Feeling comfortable in the suburbs won't be a challenge, though. Baratta's hometown of Solvay, N.Y., is a village outside of Syracuse. Its population was 7,140 during his childhood, he said. "Everyone knows each other," Baratta said. Baratta recalls "tagging along with my aunt," who taught kindergarten for 38 years, and "helping her set up her classroom." "I think teaching is more of a vocation, more of a calling," he said. Baratta became a teacher without realizing it. As a high school freshman, Baratta and a few classmates studied social studies together. "I guess I was running tutoring sessions. I didn't realize it, because we were in study groups," he said. In college, Baratta then tutored after school for the Sisters of St. Mary in Buffalo. "That's when I started to feel, 'Hey, this is something I enjoy,'" said Baratta, who graduated from Canisius College in Buffalo with a degree in history and international relations. Baratta expects to spend this year learning about his new school community. Assistant Principal Michael O'Rourke has been "tremendous in presenting me with a template, or outline, bridging the gap" with Parent's work here, Baratta said. Baratta says he and O'Rourke will outline the administration's expectations to students during grade-level assemblies this week. The more aware students are of such standards, "the better off we're going to be," Baratta said. Preparing Norton students for high school and college is among the top priorities this year. Norton High Principal Raymond Dewar "and I are committed to having students go back and forth, almost in an adviser-advisee role," Baratta said. Baratta also wants to better prepare elementary students for the middle school. Baratta can relate to his students as his two boys are ages 10 and 7. "We just spent Saturday making a baseball diamond in our back yard," he said. MICHAEL GELBWASSER covers Norton for the Sun Chronicle. He can be reached at 508-236-0439 or at mgelbwasser@thesunchronicle.com.