Dick Kisiel, who served with such distinction during his earlier time of membership in our Avon-Canton Club, returned home to us by rejoining in July. As these notes, which Dick graciously wrote for us, will show, he repeatedly flunked retirement during these later years much to the benefit of the communities in which he continued his professional life and commitment to Rotary service. Here is how he tells his story and reintroduces himself to our club:
After being appointed as superintendent in Avon in 1997, Dick joined the Avon-Canton Rotary Club serving as president in 2003-04. In 2012, he chose to join the Manchester Rotary Club while serving as Manchester's interim superintendent of schools. He continued his Rotary service with the Suffield Rotary Club eventually serving as its president for two years. He currently resides at the Reservoir condominium complex in West Hartford.
Dick grew up in Worcester, Massachusetts and attended his parish elementary and high schools where he eventually met and would later marry his high school sweetheart. While in high school he completed requirements to be named as an Eagle scout. He continued supporting the scouting movement while in college. He received his Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees from Clark University in preparation for an eventual career as a clinical counselor in a school setting. With the absence of positions for which he was trained and the need to support a new family, he launched his fifty-four year career in education by teaching psychology at a nearby high school for two years. Still desiring to pursue his original career goal and training, he was appointed a guidance counselor at Enfield High School and soon thereafter the director of the program.
By accepting the invitation to serve as an assistant principal at the Fermi High School in Enfield, Dick launched his career in school administration. This four-year assignment created a penchant for school leadership which eventually led him to become a high school principal in Granby, Connecticut. During his tenure as principal, he pursued a doctorate degree at Boston University in leadership. Using his new training and insights along with previous experiences, Dick accepted his first position as superintendent of schools in a newly formed regional school district in Southeastern Massachusetts. Thus began a twenty-five year career as a superintendent that also included the towns of Avon, Manchester and Mansfield Connecticut. Dick’s professional career also included adjunct staff assignment teacher of general psychology to adults at the University of Hartford, and a adjunct staff position at the University of Connecticut focused on leadership and change issues with future superintendent aspirants. He worked as an education consultant assisting the Sheff plaintiff’s legal case to reduce the racial segregation in the City of Hartford schools. He ended his professional career by providing ongoing professional development experiences for school superintendents through the Connecticut Association of School Superintendents. On occasion, he still provides consulting services for school district leaders and boards of education on matters related to leadership and change.
Dick was happily married to his wife Janice for 43 years until her untimely death eight years ago. He is fortunate to have the support of his three children, six grandchildren, numerable relatives and friends, and a close personal friend and traveling companion many of whom came to celebrate Dick’s eightieth birthday at Winding Trails in Farmington. Dick enjoys the company of his cat, named Moxie.
In retirement, Dick maintains a training schedule at HealthTrax in Avon, regularly plays golf, and walks/hikes the trails around the Hartford reservoir. He enjoys reading regular and historical fiction, volunteers weekly as a docent at the Connecticut State Capitol, teaches English to immigrants in Hartford, and actively participates in his Hartford church’s interest in helping those less fortunate and forgotten. He anticipates traveling abroad again and will continue to enjoy regular trips to Caribbean beaches. He now regrets not bidding on the trip to South Africa auctioned at the club’s recent golf tournament. He looks forward again to working with a group committed Rotarians and being an active and contributing member of the Avon-Canton Rotary Club.
Thank you, Dick. Welcome back!