Since 1992, Daniel Sharib has walked the halls of Xaverian as a student, administrator, and now principal. Since coming to Xaverian as a freshman, Mr. Sharib has learned lessons from every part of the building. While his perspective on the school has changed throughout the years, he has always known what it means to be a Clipper. Whether that be in the classroom, on the field, or introducing new freshmen to the school, his mission has remained the same. His job as principal allows him to guide students through sometimes troubled waters to get them to a safe Harbor.

Mr. Sharib graduated in 1996, and as a student, he took a variety of Syracuse and AP courses, with most focusing on history and political science. Like most current students, he took a blended schedule that included a mix of Honors and Academy classes. While he enjoyed his time as a student, he knows that the school he attended is vastly different from the one he works at today. 

“When I went here, we didn't have those pre-professional pathway options. So you had electives, and you could take an AP course or a Syracuse course, but you didn’t have anybody who really thought out a program of study that might give you a flavor as to what it’s like to study this in college and do this for a living.”

After attending St. John’s University for four years, he began teaching at Xaverian full-time for two years, teaching five to six classes. At the beginning of his third year as a faculty member, he was promoted to Director of Admissions and stayed in that position for four years. Needing a change, he went back to teaching in the classroom and was the Summer School Principal for about a year. He then went on to be an Academic Dean for five years, which led him to the position of Assistant Principal, which he held for six years. At the end of his sixth year as Assistant Principal, he assumed the role of Principal. 

“The family vibe present in the current iteration of Xaverian is the strongest it’s ever been,” said Mr. Sharib when asked about his perspective on the school as Principal.

Since becoming principal, he has been trying to attend as many school events as he can. This has made him realize how many sports and activities Xaverian has to offer, further proving his point that the building is shaped by its students. 

“Having the ability to help shape the way this place is going to look, not just for the students for the next generation, but also to make sure that when the time comes for your sons and daughters to go to the school, that there is that healthy thriving Xaverian.”

However, Mr. Sharib is also always looking into the future of the school. While discussing Kairos and the Camden Retreat, he feels the Catholic identity of the school more than ever. To add to that, he’s very happy about the reintroduction of the school’s community service guidelines. Through the restructuring of the program, “the quintessential part of Xaverian education is understanding the humility and the concept of working for others.”

Xaverian is never stagnant and is always looking to expand our programs. For example, we’ve come from having one STEM program to having three. Last summer, the administration realigned some of the programs and changed various course structures to accommodate students for their futures in college and, more importantly, the workplace. 

To be able to properly prepare students for the workplace, the school must be aware of what kind of skill sets are required for the modern world. One thing Mr. Sharib is elated about is the possible reinstatement of the Internship Program, which went on a partial hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Career Day last year compensated for this by showing students what kinds of careers are out there and how Xaverian has shaped people in the workplace. 

“It’s super important that we never rest on our morals and that we are always keeping our eyes on what’s on the horizon. You can very easily get caught in a tunnel vision, but you always want to make sure that you’re out there, that you’re studying, that you’re paying attention to what’s going on because that’s the only way we provide a service here for all of you that’s going to serve you well when you move on to the future.”

As Mr. Sharib moves Xaverian into the future, he knows it is not just current students that the school should consider but also the generations to come.