Greg Macedo, longtime principal of Saxe Middle School, will retire after this academic year, he said in a blogpost.
BEFORE: Saxe Middle School Principal Greg Macedo stands near a hallway alcove that had been converted into a Special Ed instruction area due to a shortage of space. Credit: Michael Dinan
An educator for nearly four decades who has worked in the New Canaan Public Schools district for 25 years, Macedo said he reached the decision with his wife to relocate to the Delaware shoreline.
“I will leave knowing that the support and guidance from the parent community, of which I will always be grateful, will continue to ensure that our middle school will thrive, even beyond its present state,” Macedo said in the post, whose contents also were emailed to parents.
“I can honestly say that I have been able to live the life of a ‘life-long learner’ because I’ve been blessed to have had professional colleagues that are ‘life-long teachers.’ ”
AFTER: The alcove at the end of this hallway now can be used as a more informal gathering space for students who want to study and socialize. Credit: Michael Dinan
Macedo in recent years earned praise from Board of Education members for making dozens of accommodations prior to a recent renovation and expansion in order to keep Saxe, built for 1,200 students, operating while it consistently saw 1,300-plus students enrolled.
Even so, Macedo noted as the town weighed whether to fund the estimated $18.6 million project that those accommodations were made “on the backs of our neediest programs,” as several Special Ed classes had been pushed into converted closets and alcoves due to space deficiencies. The observation typified a students-first view shared by Macedo and the administration—last budget season, he observed as the Town Council considered a $200,000 funding request for new playground equipment at Saxe, that “It’s nice to see kids maintaining their childhood.”
In his post, Macedo said: “Although there is still another semester ahead, I want to express my gratitude for their collective ‘teachings’ as they have exemplified the best that this profession has had to offer.”
The Board of Ed now is in the midst of budget season and no mention yet has been made of Macedo’s impending retirement at its public meetings. The school board is scheduled to meet next on Feb. 5.