The longtime leader of St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute in Kenmore is planning his retirement. President Robert Scott says he will retire at the end of the next school year. WBFO's senior reporter Eileen Buckley talked to Scott about his decision to leave after more than four decades.
“The young men I taught as sophomores will be Social Security age next year,” said Scott.
Scott began his career as a teacher at St. Joe's in 1971. He was later elevated to vice principal, principal and then president.
When Scott retires, after the next school year, he will mark the end of a 48-year career at the all-boys high school. But he's not finished with his work and is already setting his goals for the next 13 months. He tells WBFO News he will work in the next school year to instill the long-standing Lasallian mission of the Catholic school to a new generation of teachers.
“We will have some 30 people here next year who’ve been at St. Joe’s less than ten years. We’ve got some work to acculturate them as to what we do as a Lasallian high school and following in that tradition. Also, we need to help them become the next group of great teachers at St. Joe’s,” Scott remarked. “The other thing is, we need to continue to brand – market – make ourselves a little bit different so people see the value in what we do.”
As for why he's retiring two-years shy of 50 years at the school, Scott tells us it's time to spend more time with his family.
“My wife and I need to get re-introduced. She's been the reason I could do what I could do and you know we need to spend some time together. I have two children and two grandchildren -- that's important to me. I have four brother -- all of us around the same age, we need to spend some time together,” responded Scott.
The school's board of trustees will lead a search for the next president.
