Marlborough High School has gone through a slew of principals in the past five years, each one bringing unique talents, experiences, and personalities to the table. Charles Caliri, formerly the principal of Chelmsford High School, started his tenure at MHS over the summer, and from day one he made it clear to students he doesn’t just want to be an administrator, he wants to be a friendly part of the MHS community. Mr. Caliri was only too happy to answer some questions for the Newspaper Club so the student body can better come to know the man with all the cool bow ties:
Q: What intrigues you about MHS and the Marlborough community?A: One of my first exposures to the MHS community was at the State Championship Basketball Game last year. The level of support and pride that the students and community shared that afternoon was infectious. I brought my whole family to that game, and although we didn’t leave triumphant, the sportsmanship, the pride, and the support were palpable. I’m excited to be a part of that. There are so many other things that I think are great about this school and community. Two things that come to mind are the diversity and rich culture of the school. It’s great seeing different cultures represented, and seeing people cross over across these lines socially and academically. Also, I’ve been very impressed with the support from the business community. It’s evident in everything we do…whether it’s partnering for internships, other educational opportunities, or financial support of our programs inside and outside of the school, it is special. Q: What are your interests outside of education (hobbies, etc.)? A: With three young kids at home (9, 7, 5), my outside of work life is spent supporting my family at home and their endeavors. With their involvement in town sports, most weekends are filled with family time and actively supporting (and sometimes coaching) my kids. In the winter we do a lot of skiing….of course the kids and I learned how to ski at the same time….so it’s taken me a bit longer to catch up to them. In my spare time, I stay as active as possible training for triathlons, cycling, and running. I also feed my brain and my imagination by reading some of my favorite fictional authors during down time over vacations; and I also enjoy being a bit of a handyman doing small projects around the house and for other friends. Q: Did you always picture yourself as an educator? A: No. Both of my parents were teachers and always told me to stay away from education. During their time in the profession, the economy was bad and teachers were constantly being laid off. This made the profession unattractive to a number of folks. When I went to college, I was a pre-medical student, majoring in Biology. I worked in a toxicology lab for a year out of college, right around the time that the Education Reform Act passed in Massachusetts. That’s when I gave teaching a shot, and I never looked back. I love working with high school students. They have so much energy and passion, it’s infectious. Every day is a new day with high school students, and that’s what makes it so much fun. Q: What activities/clubs were you involved in when you were in high school? A: In high school, I played a lot of basketball. I was also in NHS, SADD, AV Club, and the Spanish Exchange Club. I wish I had participated in more. During my junior and senior years, I spent a great deal of time working a part-time job and this took time away from my high school experience. Q: Do you have a favorite high school memory and/or photo you would like to share? A: My favorite high school memory was that of our senior banquet. The last event before our graduation was a seniors only semi-formal dinner/dance, called the senior banquet. At the time, my girlfriend was a senior as well, so we were able to go together with our group of friends and just hang out with our classmates. We signed each other’s yearbooks and danced the night away with our friends. It was the perfect capstone to high school. Q: What is the best piece of life advice you’ve ever received? A: That’s a good question. There have been so many people who have given me advice over the years, and I’ve taken it all. The person I always look back to is my grandfather. He lived during the time of Yogi Berra, so a lot of his expressions were very much like Yogi’s (e.g., You think it will rain if it starts?, You’re not the best, but you’re better than the rest, etc.). But one thing he always said to me was “Engage your brain before…”, and he would always change the ending to fit the situation that I was in. I’ve held on to that one for as long as I can remember and I’ve expanded it to doing my research, doing my homework, being prepared, making informed decisions, being patient and thoughtful, and the like. I feel like it’s served me well. In this on-demand, instant-gratification world that we live in, taking a moment to think is a bit of a lost art. Q: Who is your favorite literary character? Why? A: I always feel guilty when people ask me these questions because I think I’m supposed to answer this with a classic character - Holden Caufield, Gene Forrester, Finny, Willie Loman, Huck Finn, or Gatsby. And as much as I enjoyed reading those classics, the literary character I’ve enjoyed most (and it’s even timeless as now I’m reading them again with my kids) is Harry Potter. I suppose it might be passe, but an orphan child raised by people who don’t want him who is able to be inquisitive, take action, lead a revolution, and overcome evil forces is a pretty fascinating story. Interview by Jennie O’Leary -Staff Writer Comments are closed.
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June 2019
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