Celebrating Dr Fitzgerald's Legacy

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Consult not your fears, but your hopes and your dreams.

-Pope John XXIII

As Dr Fitzgerald prepares for retirement after leading our school for twelve remarkable year, we celebrate his legacy.

Our Chairmen of the Board, Chris Wilson, wrote it best: “Bill’s legacy is certainly one of accomplished leadership, but interspersed within the big milestones that mark our history are the everyday interactions, with a teacher, with a student, cheering from the sideline, speaking from a stage, or kneeling in prayer. It is in these everyday interactions that Bill’s warmth, kindness, and Christian example help foster the feeling that St Joes is “home”.”

Thank you, Dr Fitzgerald, for your dedication, ambition, and love for St Joseph High School. While you will be sorely missed, you have prepared our school for continued success in the years to come. With prayers and great thanks, it has truly been our privilege.

Dr Fitzgerald will be serving as Senior Consultant and Advisor to the Board's Executive Committee from July 1 to December 31, 2020.

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It Has Been Our Honor. Thank You, Dr Fitzgerald!

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Dr Fitz's Legacy Timeline

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DR FITZGERALD WINS 2020 EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP AWARD

St Joseph High School is proud to announce that Dr Fitzgerald has been selected as the winner of the 2020 Council of Advancement for the Support of Education (CASE) District I Chief Executive Leadership Award. This award recognizes CASE member institutional heads, presidents, chancellors, or other campus chief executive officers for outstanding efforts in promoting and supporting education and institutional advancement.

PASSING THE TORCH: A NOTE FROM THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
Mr Chris Wilson P ’08 ’10 ’14

In preparing for Dr Fitzgerald’s retirement on June 30, 2020, we celebrate Bill’s twelve years leading St Joes. You will be reminded of a long list of achievements including people, places, and programs. Bill’s legacy is certainly one of accomplished leadership, but interspersed within the big milestones that mark our history are the everyday interactions, with a teacher, with a student, cheering from the sideline, speaking from a stage, or kneeling in prayer. It is in these everyday interactions that Bill’s warmth, kindness, and Christian example help foster the feeling that St Joes is “home”. Read more in the 2020 Spring Communique!

THANK YOU, DR FITZGERALD, FOR LEADING US IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION

Nancy DiBuono, Principal

It would be difficult to find anyone more committed to the mission of Catholic school education than Dr William Fitzgerald. It seems cliché to say that he leaves the school a better place than he found it, however, it is simply the truth.

Written on the window of Dr Fitzgerald’s office in the main corridor is a quotation: “Be Curious Today”. This simple statement sums up the advice Dr Fitz (as he is affectionately called by the students) offers the community daily. It is common to see students in his office as he engages them in some challenging, thought provoking question. He leads by example and challenges easy conclusions in favor of “outside the box” thinking.

LEADING BY EXAMPLE

Mr John Corraro '11, Alumni Volunteer

Dr Fitz embodies everything that is unique and special about St Joes. From the moment he walked through the doors when I was a freshman in the spring of 2008 to working with him as Alumni Association President to introduce Career Day and the Futures Internship Program, Dr Fitz has always put the students first. Whether it was advising and leading, cheering and celebrating, or mourning and comforting, he has been a constant guiding light for students walking through the doors of SJ for twelve years.

LEADING BY EXAMPLE

Gianna Caruso '20

In 2017, I attended the Immersion Trip to Nicaragua where Dr Fitzgerald and his wife served as chaperones. One of the first things I remember is how approachable he was; immediately I was eased by his humor and kindness. Bird book in hand, Dr Fitzgerald advised us to be mindful during our experience and to take advantage of cultural exploration. I was in awe of his effortless influence in
grounding our group’s mission and further impressed by his encyclopedic knowledge of historical sites, ecology, and culture; our adventure was made exponentially more interesting as he shared his expertise with us.

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Leave a Note for Dr Fitz!

Click here to share a message!

Click here to share a message!

Dr Fitz is an extremely welcoming presence who is willing to work with students on issues that affect them most and is always looking for ways for our community to continue growing. ~ Peter Spinelli ’20

Congratulations Bill! Your wisdom, wit, and boundless energy have enhanced the St Joseph community beyond the wildest hopes and dreams of the Board when we first met you so many years ago. I wish you good health and much happiness in life’s next chapter. ~ Fran McGettigan, Board Member, Member Emeritus, Brian ’99, Caitlin ’01, Kellie ’05, Kevin ’08

Bill knows Catholic education. He described in our strategic plan ‘The soul of our faith-based school emerges from the shared life of teachers, families, students and administration working and praying together’. ~ Dr Claire Paolini, Assumption Catholic School; Retired Dean, SHU

St Joseph High School has flourished under the strong leadership of Dr Fitzgerald. His expectations for this wonderful faith-based community have always been high. His forward looking approach has empowered the school to grow and excel in all areas. I have admired his devotion to the values of faith and family and his consistently student-centered approach as he championed any endeavor that would advance the mission of St Joseph High School. He has certainly left his mark and left the school in the best possible position to continue to meet the challenges of the future. I wish Bill and Susan many happy years of retirement filled with health, happiness, and grandchildren! ~ Linda Batten P’10, ’13, Chief Financial Officer

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Letters from Dr Fitzgerald

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Learn More About David Klein

St. Joseph High School is proud to announce the appointment of Mr. David J. Klein as the new President beginning July, 2020. On Wednesday, September 4, the St. Joseph High School community received a letter from Board of Directors Chairperson, Mr. Christopher Wilson, announcing Mr. Klein’s appointment. Mr. Klein will succeed St. Joseph High School’s current President, Dr. William Fitzgerald, whose pending retirement has been previously announced.

Mr. Klein currently serves as the Head of School at Norwich Free Academy (NFA), an independently governed, coed, regional day academy, which serves an enrollment of 2,324 students from eight public school districts and a host of private and international students. His extraordinary experience in community engagement, student services, college preparatory education, institutional advancement, financial management, and administration will serve St. Joseph High School well.

Prior to his appointment as NFA’s Head of School in 2011, Mr. Klein served as Superintendent of the Madison Public Schools and as Superintendent of the Regional School District in Old Lyme. He also has experience in high school, middle school, and elementary school administration. Mr. Klein began his career as a mathematics teacher at Bishop Hoban High School in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania. “We have found a President who will honor St. Joseph High School’s traditions and high standards for academics, service, and personal responsibility,” writes Mr. Christopher Wilson. A graduate of the Darla Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina, Mr. Klein is also a proud alum of the University of Scranton, a nationally recognized Catholic and Jesuit University. At Scranton University, he earned a Master’s Degree in Secondary Education (Mathematics) and a Master’s in Education Administration. He also holds a Certificate of Advanced Studies in Executive Leadership.

“I am deeply grateful for this extraordinary opportunity,” remarks Mr. Klein, “and for the trust and confidence of St. Joseph High School’s Board of Directors. The school’s commitment to creating a community where young men and women can grow in faith and build for themselves responsible lives of service and leadership is highly regarded in Connecticut. I realize it is the work of many generations, and I look forward to helping steward and deepen this unwavering commitment.” Mr. Klein’s appointment is the result of an extensive search led by a committee comprised of St Joseph High School Board members, administration, faculty, and the broader community. The search was facilitated by Carney, Sandoe & Associates.

A Message from David

THANK YOU, ST JOES, FOR ALLOWING ME TO LEAD US INTO THE FUTURE

Dear Friends,

With pride and enthusiasm, I correspond with you for the first time as the next President of St Joseph High School. I am deeply grateful for this extraordinary leadership opportunity and the trust and confidence of the Search Committee, the Board of Directors, and Bishop Caggiano. I am especially thankful to Dr Fitzgerald for his gracious support during this transition. I consider it to be one of my greatest professional blessings to be selected for this role.

As you know, St Joes provides a caring, inspiring, and loving community in which young women and men grow in faith and build responsible lives of service and leadership. With the daily guidance and encouragement of faculty, staff, and administration, St Joes Cadets learn and live our school’s motto—Privilege and Responsibility. Students graduate academically and socially prepared for college, confident and appreciative for the support they received all along the way.

It is my privilege to join the St Joes family. My door is always open to students, colleagues and families. I look forward to partnering with you to fulfill the school’s mission and to support, encourage, and celebrate the success of our St Joes students.

In Faith and Fellowship,

Mr David Klein