Albion Middle School principal to retire after this school year
Dan Monacelli says he’s thankful for career in hometown
Photos by Tom Rivers: This photo from October 2014 shows Monacelli portraying “Forgetful Frank,” a character in a mystery where students tried to determine who robbed the Pig E. Bank. It was an exercise to help students with Common Core tests, making them observe, have deductive reasoning and make a compelling case in their writing.
ALBION – Dan Monacelli has announced he will retire after this school year, ending a decade as principal at the Albion Middle School. Monacelli started his career in the building as a health teacher.
He served as a vice principal for a year at the Niagara Academy for the Orleans/Niagara BOCES in Sanborn for his first job in school administration. Then he served six years as a vice principal, athletic director and football coach for Pembroke.
He was hired back to Albion to serve as high school principal. He was in that role for four years before returning to the middle school in 2007. He said serving as principal for grades 6-8 has been “a dream job.”
“Middle School kids are fun,” he said. “They’re also at a point where you can change them. They’re on the fence. You can put programs in place to help them make the right decisions.”
Monacelli notified the board last month of his intention to retire. He wanted to give the school district plenty of time to find his successor.
Dan Monacelli, left, chats with Wayne Wadhams during the modified football game in Albion on Wednesday when seventh- and eighth-graders from Albion played a team from Cheektowaga.
He said he is grateful he had the opportunity to teach in Albion and then serve as principal. Monacelli grew up in Albion and continues to live in the village.
He was a star for Albion’s football team. In 1979, he was named first team all-state and was player of the year.
His wife Joyce is a teacher in the elementary school.
“I’m very thankful to Albion,” Monacelli said. “Everything I have I owe to the community.”
Other teachers have notified the district of their intentions to retire, including Wayne Wadhams, high school technology education teacher, effective Feb. 28, 2017; Janet Husung, elementary classroom teacher, effective June 30, 2017; Irene Henion, Latin teacher, effective June 30, 2017; Keith Piccirilli, middle school social studies teacher, effective June 30, 2017;
Kimberly Toombs, middle school family and consumer science teacher, effective June 30, 2018; Ralph Englert, middle school teacher, effective June 30, 2018; Douglas Mergler, middle school technology teacher, effective June 30, 2018;
Carlos Burroughs, middle school physical education teacher, effective June 30, 2019; Judy Azzolino, elementary school AIS teacher, effective June 30, 2019; Randy Knaak, athletic director, effective July 1, 2019;
Elizabeth Werner, elementary teacher, effective June 30, 2020; and Mary Ann Jablonski, sixth grade teacher, effective June 30, 2020.
