Dr. David Scarpino, who has served as the principal of Hampshire Elementary School for the past five years, has announced that he will retire from the position.
Scarpino has lived in Hampshire for the past nine years. Before he became the principal at Hampshire Elementary, he served as associate superintendent for Community Unit School District 300 from 2004 to 2010.
Over the years, he has served as a principal or as a superintendent for different school districts. He began his career as a teacher at Naperville North High School.
While Scarpino has been the principal at Hampshire Elementary, Char Hentschel, school secretary, said: “Our test scores have been off the charts, and morale is sky high. The students and their parents all love him. He’s tough when he needs to be tough, but he has a heart of gold. He is very well respected.”
Hentschel said she knew Scarpino would be a good fit as principal at Hampshire Elementary the time she watched him interact with a family bringing their child to the school for the first time.
“He got down on his knees so that he would be eye level with the student,” she said. “He’s very family oriented and puts families first. I’ll hate to see him go.”
When Scarpino retires, he said that he expects the first 30 days will feel like vacation time.
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“I will play golf with my brothers and do some woodworking,” Scarpino said. “I also want to volunteer and give back to the community.”
Scarpino has already volunteered to serve in the village where he lives. The Hampshire village board this week unanimously approved the appointment of Scarpino to the Hampshire police pension board.
Hampshire resident Cameron Shapiro, who served as principal at Seth Paine Elementary School in Lake Zurich since 2008, will become the new principal of Hampshire Elementary when Scarpino retires.
“I think Dr. Scarpino has left me with a good building to take over,” said Shapiro. “I am looking forward to joining the Hampshire Elementary School team.”
Denise Moran is a freelance reporter for the Courier-News