As we all know, the school year is ending very soon, in just 6 weeks. But what many people don’t know is that our principal is retiring after 2026. So, I would suggest getting to know a little more about him before he leaves the public school system, and this article will help you a lot. My name is Neil Virmalwar and I am writing this article to make a tribute to our dearest principal, Mr. Foley.
Career Path and Background
Before he became a principal, Mr. Foley worked as a high school English teacher for 11 years. First, he taught for nine years in the Worcester Public School district while also serving as a football coach. He then taught English for two years in Westborough Public Schools.
To become a principal, you first have to earn a bachelor’s degree and then obtain a teacher’s license. Next, you have to gain 3-5 years of classroom experience. Finally, you have to earn a master’s degree in educational leadership and earn the state’s administrative license. This path takes you from a teacher, to an assistant principal, and then to a principal. Once Mr. Foley was an assistant principal at Westborough High School, he was able to apply for the principal position at Gibbons because the license needed for a high school principal is the same as the license needed for a middle school principal.
Mr. Foley took a pretty traditional route to become a principal, even though there were some slight setbacks on his journey. When he graduated from Burncoat High School in 1985, right here in Worcester, he then went to Bates College in Maine, earning his bachelor’s degree in English and graduating in 1989. He earned his master’s degree in education from Worcester State College. There was a significant recession going on in Massachusetts, so it was hard to find a job, so he started working as a roofer for his cousin. Did you know that over the two years he was working with his cousin, he fixed roofs all over Massachusetts, like the roofs for WPI, Clark University, and even Harvard?! Crazy, right?
After roofing for his cousin for 2 years, he subbed at WHS in 1992 and coached freshman football. Following that, he got picked up by the Worcester Public Schools again, and taught English in the fall of 2000. He became an assistant principal in the fall of 2003 and played this role for 7 years. Finally, he came to Gibbons in 2010, and he has worked here ever since.
Responsibilities and The Daily Grind
While lots of people come to school to learn, see friends, eat, participate in sports and clubs, it’s much more than that to Mr. Foley. Mr. Foley says, “I learned that being a principal is less about sitting in an office and more like keeping a ship upright when sailing.” He always ensures everyone is fed, safe on buses, and in their correct classrooms, much like the captain of a crew. He manages 600 students and 100 adults daily across a 7-period schedule, which is a very hard job, especially if you’re the only one doing it.
He also completes administrative tasks such as overseeing MCAS testing, report cards, recommendations, and school events like dances, plays, and drives. He plays a lot of the roles that other adults do here at Gibbons, from monitoring students, cleaning up, and bus duty, to assisting the superintendent and the custodial and maintenance staff.
Challenges, Rewards, and Advice
Every job has its highs and lows, and for a principal, these often involve balancing the needs of hundreds of people. Mr. Foley explains, “The biggest challenge is the sheer logistics of ensuring everything runs smoothly for a massive group of learners and staff every single day. The most interesting part of the job is engaging in opportunities like this interview–interacting with bright students and teachers every day.” Even with heavy responsibilities, he notes that things surprisingly run smoothly. He also had some advice to share with me if students want to become a principal, teacher, or just want to go into the field of education: “Become the best teacher that you can possibly be first, and then try to get into a fantastic school system like Westborough.”
Personal Passions and Retirement
There is much more to our principal than running the school. Mr. Foley shared a lot of hidden hobbies and passions with me as he grew up. Outside of school, he has been an avid mountain biker since 1994 and a former football player from high school to college. He has a dog named Cassidy, and he loves to go hiking and biking with her. When he retires, he’s looking forward to more time in the day. Mr. Foley told me that he’s more of a local, “stay-at-home” guy rather than a “travel” guy. He doesn’t have any firm plans after retirement, however, he is planning on supervising teachers over at Worcester State and volunteering at Habitat for Humanity.
More Than Just A Principal
As Mr. Foley leaves the school hallways and moves on, I feel that we should give a round of applause to him. He has been a great, kindhearted principal, and overall, a wonderful man. It was his genuine care for his students and staff that made him a prominent, strong figure in our community. I speak for the behalf of everyone when I say this: Thank you, Mr. Foley for being the best principal this school has had. Once again, we hope that the years that come will be pleasant and without hardship. We hope to see you around soon!
