Highly respected TN principal announces retirement
said.
The principal said that he is proud of
a number of initiatives, programs and
activities he brought to the school, but
cited the school’s high level of achievement
in reading and math scores as
P.S. 304’s greatest accomplishment.
“I am most proud of our reading and
math scores being in the highest in the
district and sometimes the Bronx in
some years,” said the principal.
He is also proud of P.S. 304’s holiday
shows, arts programs, being part
of the teacher-training program for
CUNY Lehman College, the addition
of a gifted and talented program and
the school’s Liberty Lawn where students
celebrate Americana and American
TAKE ON EVERYTHING
NEW YORK CITY
HAS TO OFFER TODAY
BY PATRICK ROCCHIO
Joseph Nobile, principal of P.S. 304
for the past 22 years, who has guided
the school for almost all of its existence,
has decided to retire after 44
years of working for fi rst the NYC
Board of Education and then the NYC
Department of Education.
“It is bittersweet,” said Nobile. “I
have a great school and if I could freeze
my age, I would stay here forever. But
time marches on and I have no regrets.”
Nobile’s successor still hasn’t been
selected as of press time, he said,
though it is his wish that the DOE consider
an assistant principal who works
closely with him for the position, he
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Nobile, who took over the reins at P.S. 304
about six months into its founding, left his
mark on the school. Here his face is seen in a
humorous display created by students that
mirrors their principal’s sense of humor.
Schneps Media / Patrick Rocchio
Longtime P.S. 304 principal Joe Nobile will leave the school at the end of the school year
after 44 years serving the schoolchildren of District 8 as a teacher, coach and principal.
Schneps Media / Patrick Rocchio
history.
He has also served as a mentor to all
of the teachers, he said, which he hired
and guided over the years, as well as to
the students.
“I can leave knowing I made a difference
to so many teacher and students,
and the parents have been very
supportive over the years,” said Nobile.
“It has been a good run.”
He said he is going to miss the student
graduation exercises a lot, as well
as the energy and pace of the school
year.
Nobile said he spent his entire career
in District 8, including at P.S. 123,
P.S. 131, P.S. 125 and I.S. 174.
He recalled he began teaching math
in 1974 after one year of selling insurance
shortly after he completed his undergraduate
degree at St. John’s University.
He was encouraged to pursue teaching
by his parents and family members.
Even though the city was letting go
teachers at the time he was hired due
to a fi scal crisis, math teachers were
very much in demand, he said.
When he retires at the end of this
school year, he hopes to spend more
time with his grown children and his
grandchildren.
He would also use his time to get
into better physical shape, and pursue
his favorite hobbies like cycling and
creating stained-glass art, said Nobile.
The principal, who comes from Pelham
Parkway, added he also plans on
doing some traveling.
/nyc
