Date: Fri 12-Jul-1996

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

Al-Cashman-retire-schools

Full Text:

with photo... Popular School Administrator Says He Will Retire

B Y S TEVE B IGHAM

Al Cashman arrived in Newtown to begin his teaching career in 1962 and he's

been here ever since.

The well-known assistant principal at Newtown Middle School recently announced

he'd be stepping down from his post in January after serving Newtown schools

for nearly 35 years.

Mr Cashman, 56, known for his upbeat personality, love of children and close

relationship with his staff, said the Newtown school system has become a piece

of him, and he will miss it dearly.

"I'll tell you, it's been fun. I wouldn't have wanted it any other way," he

said Tuesday. "I was very fortunate to be able to work with the kinds of

principals, staff and superintendents that Newtown has had. I've been

energized by the people I've worked with."

As Mr Cashman jokes, he's "the last of the Mohegans," in that he ranks as the

longest serving staff member in the school system. In other words, he's been

around a long, long time.

"I'm not retiring. I'm transitioning into a new dimension in my life," Mr

Cashman joked.

Middle School Principal Les Weintraub met Mr Cashman two years ago when he

arrived in town to take over for the departed principal, Lou Villamana.

"I knew from the first moment I met Al that he was a very special, caring

person," he noted. "I really love the guy. He's a terrific educator and is

truly a role model for both his staff and his colleagues."

Mr Weintraub said his only regret is that he did not have the opportunity to

spend more years working alongside his fellow administrator.

"I wish I could push back the hands of time," he said.

After graduating from Western Connecticut State University, Mr Cashman was

offered a part-time job as assistant director of the student union, which he

helped start. He knew he needed to find a teaching job in the area and

immediately looked at the town with the flagpole.

"I wanted Newtown," he admitted.

After his hiring, Mr Cashman, who grew up in Waterbury, moved to an apartment

on Main Street in 1962 and married his college sweetheart, Gail, the following

year. The couple built their house on Birch Hill Road in 1966 and settled

down. They have four children, Chris, 30, Darrin, 29, Eric, 26, and Megan, 23,

all four of whom went through the middle school.

Mr Cashman spent his first years in Newtown teaching at Sandy Hook, Hawley and

Middle Gate elementary schools before arriving at the middle school in 1970.

In time, he was picked to fill the assistant principal's slot.

Former middle school principal Lou Villamana worked with Mr Cashman for 19

years.

"I always found Al to be a great friend and colleague. He's an extraordinarily

warm, compassionate, optimistic people person," he said. "He's the kind of

person who sees a jar half full rather than half empty."

Mr Villamana pointed out that Mr Cashman's large variety of interests from

floral arrangements and woodworking to photography, golf and bicycling enabled

him to relate to both parents and students on many levels.

Superintendent of Schools John R. Reed said he's been amazed out how positive

Mr Cashman has been over the years, especially in a position where he often

has taken disciplinary action.

"Al's is one of the generally good guys in the world. He's a fine human

being," he said.

Mr Cashman has always been involved in business ventures with his wife outside

his work in the schools and it is because of the expansion of his new

involvement in the network marketing of "all-natural wellness" products that

led to his decision to step down.

He made the decision a couple of months ago when he realized his marketing

business would require even more travel than he and Gail currently do. The

couple plans to purchase a motor home in the coming months.

Like most principals, Mr Cashman has managed to have an effect on students'

lives within the school walls, but it is his work with Newtown's kids outside

the school that separates him from the crowd.

"I've always tried to be engaged in projects to get kids involved in

activities beyond the classroom," he noted.

In 1976 and 1978, he helped organize the state Special Olympics, once even

serving as state ceremonies chairman.

Mr Cashman was also involved in the school's Bridge the Gap program, where

students going into sixth grade are invited to a picnic each September with

their parents so they can meet their sixth grade teachers to help in the

transition from elementary school to middle.

In 1976, Mr Cashman successfully brought the bicentennial wagon train to

Newtown. The group, which was celebrating America's birthday by traveling by

horse and wagon down the East Coast, had been stopped in Southbury. The

administrator managed to meet with the wagon master and convinced him to set

up camp on the lawn of the middle school that afternoon. With wagon train

encamped in front of the A-Wing horseshoe, the student body held a ceremony,

with former First Selectman Jack Rosenthal and State Representative Mae

Schmidle joining in on the festivities.

He also helped the school system plan a celebration for Connecticut's 350th

birthday celebration, building a float (complete with a flagpole) that was

driven in a local parade.

Mr Cashman's work within the community has been equally impressive.

A well-known Democrat in town, Mr Cashman served for 17 years on the town's

Zoning Board of Appeals, including 10 years as chairman. He also served on

former First Selectman Zita McMahon's campaign committee.

Mr Cashman was also a long-time member of the Jaycees.

The assistant principal said his most memorable moment as a member of the

school system may have come during the mid 1970s when Newtown's teachers went

on strike.

"That was a very stressful time, but it brought about a lot of good. I think

it opened up the eyes and ears of the general public to improve and made

certain that we never get back to that point," he explained.

He also recalls the difficult situation he and his fellow staff members faced

in the late 1960s when the school was running double sessions as the new high

school on Berkshire Road was being constructed.

Mr Cashman said he had considered becoming the middle school's head principal

on a few occasions during his tenure and even applied for the job, but for one

reason or another, it never worked out. With his typical positive outlook on

things, he figured it may have simply been bad timing.

"Timing is everything. Maybe it wasn't meant to be. That's how I look at it,"

he said.

Mr Cashman admitted feeling a bit emotional when talking about what he'll miss

most about his job as assistant principal.

"I'll definitely miss the kids and the people I've worked with for so long.

That's been a real piece of me," he said. "There's just no way you can replace

that in anything you do."