The Saint Bernard School community is bidding a happy retirement for its leader of 12 years, Head of School Mr. Don Macrino.
“This is my 52nd year in education,” Mr. Macrino said recently from the office where he’s guided the Catholic co-educational college preparatory school for students in grades 6-12.
Mr. Macrino, a New London resident, has been involved with the diocese for many years beyond his time at Saint Bernard, but says he will treasure his experience at the school.
“Eastern Connecticut sorely needs a school like this,” he said. “We get a variety of students all seeking something they’re unable to get elsewhere. They come here and make lifelong friends. There’s a tide at this school that tends to move everybody in the right direction ... what more could a parent want than a place where they know their youngster’s going to be safe and happy, and their
social, spiritual and academic needs are going to be met?”
Among his proud accomplishments, Mr. Macrino said, are the school’s efforts to not only retain students but also gain new ones in the face of the trend of declining enrollment in Catholic schools.
“For a student who wants a Catholic education, we’ve found ways to make it possible for them to get it, and I feel very proud about that,” he said. “To me, that’s the real Catholic mission. Education should be available to anyone who desires it, and we’ve worked really hard to make that possible.”
He also takes pride in the school’s ethnically, socially and religiously diverse population. “Everyone who comes here knows it’s a Catholic school,” he said. “They follow the gospels. We don’t proselytize and try to make somebody Catholic, but the tenets we honor are universal: compassion, kindness, make the world a better place.”
Smooth Transition
Mr. Macrino is confident as he leaves Saint Bernard that it’s in good hands.
The school announced on May 27 that its Board of Directors has appointed Mrs. Nanci DeRobbio, below, as Interim President of Saint Bernard School, effective July 1.
The board’s selection was a process that Mr. Macrino was closely involved in from early on, when he recommended her.
“When you love a child, but must trust him/her to someone else, you must be sure that person will care for the child as you have,” Mr. Macrino said. “I have known Nanci for many years and know of her work as an educator and humanitarian. As I pass the torch to Nanci DeRobbio, I am certain that she will care for the students, staff, and community of Saint Bernard’s as I have.”
Mr. Macrino also praised the school’s continuing relationships with its host communities of Montville and the Mohegan Tribe.
Gratitude and Blessings for a Well-Earned Retirement
During the May 22 commencement for the graduating senior class of 2026 at the Cathedral of Saint Patrick, Bishop Richard Reidy thanked Mr. Macrino “for his dedication, his commitment, for his leadership” of the school.
“To you we thank you especially, but also give wishes and prayers for a good, long, healthy retirement and continued moments of great satisfaction in your life, as I know you take satisfaction from the accomplishments of the lives you have helped shape.”
Mr. Macrino said he has no specific plans for his retirement, but he wants to stay active within the community.
“I like to stay busy,” he said. “I’ve spent my entire life either in a classroom or as an administrator, solving problems. It’s hard to just stop that, so I don’t know what’s next.”
By Ryan Blessing