Richard Massaro is gone from Ridgewood District 234’s School Board, but he won’t be forgotten.
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In his final meeting as a School Board member, Massaro learned that his now-former colleagues have decided to name the football stadium’s press box for him — a dedication that will happen this fall at a home game to be determined.
“That was my perch,” Massaro said Monday night, May 4, as board President Michael Glaub announced that decision.
“This place wouldn’t be what it is without you,” Superintendent Jennifer Kelsall said as Massaro walked the table, shaking hands with fellow board members, Kelsall, Assistant Supt. Tim Keeley and Principal John Bolger.
Massaro, who served on and off since 1972, was ousted in the April 7 election by Lisa Malicki. Malicki was sworn in Monday along with board President Michael Glaub and Tony Carangella, both of whom were re-elected.
“I enjoyed it. I served with top-notch people,” said Massaro, who was the board’s vice president. “This group of people here is probably the best group I’ve served with ever.”
Massaro said he’ll remain involved with Ridgewood, especially as the voice of the school’s football, and boys’ and girls’ basketball teams.
“Whatever I can do in terms of helping out the school, I’m on board with that,” he said, adding that he might not be quite done with the School Board, either.
“There’s another School Board election in a couple of years, so there’s always an option for that,” Massaro said.
A Ridgewood alumnus (class of 1969), Massaro served on the School Board from 1972 to 2000. He ran again and won in 2007.
He said the end of “block” scheduling was the board’s most difficult challenge during his earlier tenures, but that the integration of iPads into students’ and teachers’ daily work is the biggest current challenge.
“I’m a little old school,” he said. “I’m a firm believer in … There are things that we do over and over to reinforce basic things in education so you can go to a higher level. I don’t know If we do that as often as we should, or did in the past.”
Last year, Massaro was honored by the Illinois House of Representatives, which passed a resolution on May 30, 2014, honoring his length of service on the School Board and his receipt of an “Award of Excellence” from the National School Public Relations Association’s Illinois chapter.
That resolution also noted Massaro’s work as the play-by-play man for the football team and as a color commentator for the Rebels’ boys and girls basketball teams, and his radio and television work boosting the school’s sports.
Jon Davis is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.