Scarsdale To Bid Goodbye to SHS Co-Principals Fred Goldberg and Kelly Hamm

More change is in store at Scarsdale High School as Co-Principals Kelly Hamm and Fred Goldberg will both retire this year. The two have been a constant presence at SHS for years – and stepped up to run the school when Principal John Klemme took an extensive leave before his retirement in June, 2011. Goldberg, who has worked at SHS for fourteen years, was often the first face many parents saw every morning as he greeted students as they exited their cars on the Post Road side of the school, with Hamm in the hallways directing traffic. But of course they did far more than we could see.

Hamm has been at Scarsdale High School for 30 years where he initially taught history and later headed the history department. He became assistant principal in the mid 1990’s. In recent years, Hamm was the mastermind of the SHS class schedule, crafting a complex plan of classes to meet the needs of the school’s 1,700 students, and managed testing and the high school budget.

This past year, as Co-Principal, Goldberg was responsible for external relations with parents and the community and served as the “point person,” resolving problems and serving as a sounding board for parents and students who needed help. Along with Assistant Principals Sue Peppers and Chris Renino, Goldberg and Hamm smoothly lead the school through a transition year while the administration searched for a new head principal for the high school. With Kenneth Bonamo scheduled to assume the position of principal in July, Goldberg and Hamm will take their leave. Next year SHS will be managed by incoming Principal Kenneth Bonamo and Assistant Principals Sue Peppers and Chris Renino.

Also set to retire from the high school are teachers Madame Mace and Patricia Jablonowski, Lois Liberati from the main office, Kathy Russo from the library, and Loryn Solomon from Special Education.

Official goodbyes will be made at the meeting of the Scarsdale Board of Education on Monday, June 18th at 8 pm in Rooms 170-172 of Scarsdale High School. The community is invited to join the board, administration, and PTA in offering tributes.

Photo by Nan Berke