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John Flaherty has walked down the hallways of Salesian High School for a good portion of his life. He knows which classes are held behind each of the wooden doors.
In fact, he said, only three things have changed in the 48 years he’s been at Salesian: his title; his hair color, now turning gray; and the students.
He will retire at the end of the 2014-2015 school year.
A modest and quiet man, Flaherty said his initial career plans didn’t include the education field. “I’m not too sure I chose it,” he said. “I think it chose me.”
He went on to explain that as a senior at St. Leo’s College in Florida, he was preparing to be a dentist. After making a school presentation, he received a note from the president of the college telling him he would make a good teacher.
Still, he was accepted into dentistry school. “Although I was focused on the field of dentistry, I did keep this in the recesses of my mind,” Flaherty said, referring to the thought of a career as an educator.
When told he would have to take the dental aptitude test again, Flaherty found himself with time on his hands and decided to apply for a teaching job.
On the way home from an interview, he got lost. He ended up in New Rochelle and went into Salesian High School to ask for directions.
“I decided to stop in to see if anyone could help me find my way home,” he said.
“I was greeted immediately by Father John Masiello, director of the school,” Flaherty recalled. “He asked me why I was there and I told him about my interview and then getting lost.
“He said that there was a science teacher position open at Salesian, and I signed a contract,” Flaherty said. “That was in August of 1967 and I knew then that I was where I was destined to be, educating young men immersed in the Salesian traditions and guided by the spirit and philosophy of St. John Bosco, the saint devoted to young people.”
Born in the Wakefield section of the Bronx, Flaherty attended St. Frances of Rome School. As a youth, he attended Camp Don Bosco in Newton, N.J., and had such a “great experience” that he asked his parents if he could attend eighth grade at St. Michael’s School in Goshen, another Salesian school.
“I did and I had a wonderful experience at St. Michael’s and still consider it to be one of the best years of my life.” Flaherty then attended Mount St. Michael Academy in the Bronx for high school.
After earning his bachelor’s degree from St. Leo College, he received a master’ in biology education from Iona College and a second master’s in administration from Manhattan College.
He lives in Yonkers with his wife of 45 years, Valerie. They are parishioners of Our Lady of Fatima parish there.
At Salesian High School, Flaherty taught general science, biology and chemistry and served as science department chair. He also was dean of students and even coached the hockey team for a time.
Longtime friend Ed Donovan, who has taught physics at Salesian for 42 years, met Flaherty when the two were working on their master’s degrees at Iona. “He was then and is now a caring, thoughtful and considerate person and one of my closest friends,” Donovan said.
“I owe so much of what I know about being a science educator to him. He mentored me when I first started out and was always extremely patient and generous with his time.”
Calling Flaherty an “extremely hard working and devoted” principal, Donovan said, “John is an excellent leader and has capably steered Salesian through good times and bad.”
In 1989 Flaherty was named principal—the first lay principal in Salesian’s history. During his tenure, enrollment has more than doubled from 231 to 510 today; and the boys’ school has received accreditation from The Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. There have also been capital improvements such as the Wiegand Athletic Center.
“Don Bosco insisted that a Salesian school would be a welcoming home for his boys, a church where they can improve their relationship with God, and a playground where they can become better people and form lasting friendships,” Flaherty said.
“I made this my pledge, and I think we have accomplished these goals,” he said.
He hopes to continue at Salesian in some capacity. “I would love to spend my future reaching out to all the graduates of Salesian and inviting them to be a viable part of our future as they have been so important to our history.”
“When I started in September of 1967, I taught ninth grade general science,” he told CNY. He taught the same boys until they were seniors.
“To this day I am close to the graduating class of 1971, but not as a teacher, more like a friend.”
Humorously, he noted, “They are quick to tell me that my success in life is because they broke me in. The truth is, I think they were right.”
