Levittown Public School Assistant Superintendent for Administration Gerald Claps recently announced that he is planning to retire when the school year ends in June. Although he'll be leaving the world of education, he will have numerous relatives to continue his education legacy, including his wife Carol -- the director of the Wesleyan Pre-School in Smithtown -- and two of his three children: son David, 30 and daughter Jennifer, 21, who also work in the field. The only one to stray from the group is his 28-year-old daughter Kristen, who works for Price Waterhouse Coopers in Fort Lee, NJ. "She was the rebel," Claps said.

Claps, 55, a Levittown native, holds a bachelor's degree in education from Oswego State University, a master's from Adelphi University and certificate of advanced study from Hofstra University. He himself took after his father, who was also a teacher. And he wouldn't change a minute of his life after 34 years spanning from his industrial arts teaching position at Jonas Salk Junior High School to a two-year hiatus serving in the Fourth Infantry Division of the U.S. Army in Vietnam to his current administration job.

"I have no regrets," said the man whose duties include setting teachers' salaries, interviewing potential educators and heading up the career and technical education department. "I'm very satisfied how things worked out. I never said I would be an assistant superintendent. My supervisors were very supportive. When I had any doubts about performing my job, they were there to help."

There are so many positives about the assistant superintendent job and the school district, said Claps. One positive Claps noted within the district is a skills competition where students show off their skills in numerous areas including auto mechanics, pre-school teaching and cosmetology. Winners take home trophies for their efforts, but every student can be proud of their work, said the assistant superintendent.

"I don't care if students are planning on going to Princeton or the Culinary Institute of America," he said. "They should leave with their heads held high. I think they do. I see it in their eyes."

Claps glowed when he talked about hiring teachers. An interview with the assistant superintendent is the last leg of a rigorous four-step interview process.

"Telling people they have new jobs is great," Claps said with a smile.

Once a new teacher is hired, Claps follows the progress of the teacher in determining tenure. He said he looks for improvement in teachers from year to year. But he also added that sometimes three years is simply not enough to figure out if an employee has a life of teaching ahead of them.

"It takes four or five years to make a teacher," he said. "So sometimes, it's a judgment call. But 90 to 95 percent of new teachers are successful."

Deciding to retire was no judgment call, Claps said. However, he is not sure where exactly the future will lead.

"I've always had an interest in the construction industry or as a computer service technician," he said. "I would really like to know what makes up a computer and how it works. Or, I may substitute in a pre-school."

Claps said he decided to retire at 55 so he could give other people a chance to experience the rewards of working in his job.

"The average retirement age in this field is 56 or 57," he said.

The Levittown School District is planning to fill Claps' job internally. Dr. Alan Groveman, the assistant superintendent for business, and Audre Pullo, a teacher that handles special assignments, will likely step in to fill the vacant assistant superintendent for administration position, said Claps. The school district is searching for a business manager to fill the void left by Dr. Groveman's promotion.

Claps hoped he would be remembered as a good, fair administrator who cared a great deal about students and his staff. He gave some advice for people struggling to determine what career path to take.

"You have to follow your heart," he said. "You have to have faith in your ability. If you don't like a job, you have to be willing to change (professions). You spend most of your life working. You have to enjoy it."