For Halloween, Chapter Leader Andrew Villafane convinced most of the 75 teachers and staff at CS 211 in the Bronx to surprise the students by dressing up as superheroes. Villafane, a physical education teacher, came as Superman, thrusting out his chest and feeling Man-of-Steel fine — until a sly 8th-grader stepped up and verbally slayed The Supe. “He pointed to his backpack and smiled,” Villafane says, laughing. “I knew I was in trouble. He said, ‘Guess you’ve figured out what I got in here, haven’t you, Mr. V? Kryptonite! It’s over, Superman!’” Fortunately, Villafane survived the encounter. He spent the day watching happily as the students — pre-kindergartners to 8th-graders — marveled at the costumed adults. “It’s like they came as themselves, the super heroes they are every day to us,” said Melanie Paredes, 13. Among the characters who came to life that day were The Flash, Wonder Woman and The Green Lantern. Martha Clanton, a paraprofessional, wore her homemade SUPER PARA costume. Lucia Brea, a mild-mannered teacher, came dressed as her favorite anime character, who pretended to cup fire from her mouth and hurl flames at everyone. “Dressing up as superheroes was so much fun for us,” says Villafane. “The expressions on the kids’ faces made it so rewarding.”