Phil Ackerman
Freshman in 1983-1984
Written by Pamela Vivanco

  Phil Ackerman, social studies teacher and former dean, entered Cardozo as a freshman in 1983. Although Ackerman did not graduate from Cardozo due to his family’s move to Bethpage, Long Island after his first year in high school in 1985, his love for Cardozo High School is undeniable. “I missed it a lot, I loved Queens,” he stated. His freshman year in Cardozo, Ackerman participated in SING and described it as his favorite Cardozo experience despite the fact that he only got approximately 20 seconds of fame running across the stage playing a “flasher.” “After leaving Cardozo I realized how great it was and how much it had to offer. In my other high school, they offered no talent show, no SING, all they had was the chess club and the football team,” he added. Like many, Ackerman feels that most people aren’t aware of how much Cardozo has to offer.
  “Most people want to return to the school they graduated from but as soon as I decided to become a teacher I thought to come back to Cardozo. When I first started working here, I was teaching with teachers I had my freshman year in high school and now students I taught are teaching with me.”
  According to Social Studies Teacher Nina Tricarico, Ackerman goes the extra mile to make sure his students pass. “He’s a wonderful teacher who cares about his students; he’s committed, dedicated, an amazing man who loves his students very, very much” she clearly expressed with a smile. Ackerman has been teaching for thirteen years and his popularity with students and Cardozo educators is indisputable. The 80’s punk rock lover has probably grown out of his teen years but still cruises down Cardozo halls as that fun guy, both an admirable and worthy teacher.