Holley school superintendent to retire June 30
D’Angelo leaves with praise from school leaders
Photos by Tom Rivers: Holley Central School Superintendent Robert D’Angelo and Susan Cory, the middle-high school principal, greet graduates at commencement on June 27, 2015.
HOLLEY – Robert D’Angelo, the school district superintendent for the past decade, is retiring on June 30. He leaves a transformed school district that tackled $40 million in capital improvements, and pushed to raise student achievement in the classroom, athletics and in extracurricular programs.
D’Angelo has been out on extended medical leave for nearly three months. On March 7, he notified the district he will retire on June 30. The district will be led by an interim superintendent the rest of the year. John Carlevatti, a retired Penfield superintendent, is Holley’s current interim leader.
D’Angelo leaves with deep appreciation from staff and the Board of Education for raising the bar for the district, including securing the community’s support for a major capitol project. D’Angelo attended numerous community meetings to convince residents to back the project.
“He was very instrumental getting the capitol projects going and changing the whole face of the district,” said Susan Cory, the middle-high school principal.
Robert D’Angelo served about a decade as Holley’s school superintendent.
The building was radically changed and upgraded with a capital project about five years ago. The building had been largely unchanged for 40 years.
“The students say we now have a real school,” Cory said.
D’Angelo was also promoting excellence in the classroom and with school programs, Cory said.
“He pushed high standards,” she said. “He had high expectations for instruction.”
The superintendent also backed an alternative education program for at-risk students in the high school. They take their classes at a wing in the elementary school.
He was willing to try new programs to give students opportunities, whether supporting the football program or a new geometry and construction class.
“He was student-focused first,” Cory said. “We try to think of what we can do to offer the best opportunity.”
Brenda Swanger, president of the Board of Education, said D’Angelo had an open door policy for students and community members. He worked hard to meet community leaders and was happy to have breakfast with students periodically. He also pushed to welcome senior citizens in the school for different events, including a senior citizen breakfast.
“The capital projects were his biggest accomplishment,” Swanger said today. “He was right on top of all the projects. He was very fussy how everything looked.”
She was impressed that D’Angelo welcomed feedback from parents and students, and also pushed to improve the safety of the school campus.
Even during a tight budget, D’Angelo was reluctant to eliminate programs.
“Bob was always in favor of offering the students opportunities,” Swanger said. “He didn’t want to abolish anything.”
The Holley Board of Education meets this evening and will discuss how it plans to pursue filling the vacancy. The district expects to work with the Monroe 2-Orleans BOCES for a superintendent’s search that will include community feedback, Swanger said.
Robert D’Angelo, the district superintendent, is pictured on Dec. 1, 2014 while children try new exercise equipment in the fitness center, which includes four large flat screen televisions. The new fitness room was part of a series of capital improvements at the district.
