By HOLLY GASKILL
Gene Donaghy’s tenure on the Norwell Community Schools board has followed 14 classes from their first to last days of school.
First elected on Nov. 5, 1996, Donaghy has served the district as a board member for seven uninterrupted terms, 28 years in total. This time has included two new buildings, four superintendents, multiple construction projects and thousands of Norwell graduates.
After this month, he’ll pass the torch onto incoming board member Todd Nash — but his support of Norwell will remain a lifelong passion.
Donaghy graduated with the Norwell High School Class of 1973 — the second class to have made it through four years at the then-new school, he said. His mom, Helen, was the first-ever librarian at NHS. He was an incredibly involved student, playing multiple sports, performing in the band, and being active in the National Honor Society.
Donaghy married his high school sweetheart, Helen Houtz, in 1975. The two began dating on Norwell’s set of “Fiddler on the Roof,” where Donaghy was a stage manager and Helen played a ghost.
Their four daughters — Sarah, Renee, Trisha and Allee — are also NHS graduates. Donaghy had intended to run for the school board for some time and followed predecessor Mike Todd in time to hand his eldest daughter, Sarah, her diploma at commencement in 1997. “Hers, as well as the other three — that was always kind of special,” Donaghy said.
Donaghy said most moments as a school board member are far less glamorous, however. While he’s had over 600 board meetings during his tenure, Donaghy recalled just a few as the “biggest” — most deal with small discussions of personnel, policy and purchases.
“But you have to be there for all of it,” Donaghy assured. “You know, if you’ve only got one thing on your mind that you’re going to do, that doesn’t do anything for anybody except just raise havoc. You need to be on there for everything … we’re working together.”
Amidst “everything,” Donaghy said his heart has ultimately been to help students find their passion. He was once uncertain about his own path in life, attending Purdue University for engineering because someone told him to.
He landed at American Electric Power after graduating and eventually identified his passion where it had always really been — with people. Donaghy transitioned into customer service at AEP and continued in the field for 37 years.
“I still thank God he has plans for you,” Donaghy says. “I didn’t realize he had a plan for me to be in customer service. But I loved working with people. I was five-years-old when my cousin got me to work (my first job) at the orchard — I loved selling apples and talking to people, and then it (working with people) was just something I really liked to do.”
Donaghy has been a champion of Norwell, attending numerous student events and always slotting time to recognize student accomplishments during board meetings. He’s devoted decades toward the betterment of his alma mater.
But there’s a season for everything.
“I know the grandparents, but I don’t know a lot of the parents,” Donaghy explained. “We had kids at Norwell forever it seemed like, and we knew all the parents, and we’d talk to them.” As that’s changed, Donaghy feels it’s time for someone with closer connections to the school to lead.
Even so, there’s virtually never a point where Norwell schools haven’t been a part of Donaghy’s life — and he’s not abandoning ship any time soon.
Donaghy now has grandchildren at Norwell, as well as adult children working in the district. Sarah, now Sarah Uchrinsko, is a kindergarten teacher at Lancaster Elementary School. Allee’s husband, Andrew Enderle, is the Norwell Middle School principal.
“I’m busy enough anyway,” Donaghy joked. “But I’ll still go to the volleyball games, basketball games, football games and stuff like that.”
This Tuesday will be Donaghy’s last meeting as a board member. He and Angie Topp, who is retiring from the board after 12 years, will be honored in a reception following the 5:30 p.m. meeting at Norwell High School.
holly@news-banner.com
