WINSTED — Though he has only lived in the area for a couple of years, Blaise Salerno has certainly made a splash in Winsted as the town’s superintendent of schools. Salerno, considered by many to be one of the most dedicated superintendents the town has seen in years, planned to retire before he took on the challenging administrative position.
Born and raised in Syracuse, N.Y., Salerno was the oldest of four boys. With a strong mother and grandmother to keep him in check, he quickly acquired a healthy work ethic and leadership abilities.
In 1958, Salerno graduated from North Syracuse Central High School and entered the Buffalo State Teachers College. In 1962 he earned his bachelor’s degree and in 1965 his master’s degree. It took some time, but he ultimately completed his graduate work, with the exception of his disertations, in the fields of geography and administration.
"My family believed that I was going to be a professional student," laughed Salerno in an interview on Tuesday. "I think I always wanted to be a teacher. I love history, but I didn’t think I could ever teach it. I love it so much and it was so easy for me that I never felt I would have the patience or understanding of people who didn’t like it or found it difficult. So I found geography."
During the course of his teaching career, Salerno taught every grade from kindergarten to graduate school, and said he has loved every grade he has taught, but it was his work as an administrator that brought him to Winsted.
Early Career
After working as a teacher for six years, Salerno became a union president and helped the teachers union negotiate its first contract with the state of New York. But before he entered his seventh teaching year, Salerno decided it was time to go back to graduate school.
While in school, Salerno wanted to remain an active part of the local school system and ran for the North Syracuse Board of Education, where he served for three years. He worked for a short time as a principal before taking an interim superintendent’s position in North Syracuse.
He eventually moved up to superintendent, where he stayed for nearly six years before returning once again to graduate school.
Salerno took his first superintendent’s position in Connecticut in the mid-1990s. Working for the town of Watertown, Salerno spent six years in the school district before returning to New York, where he took at job as superintendent in Guilderland.
"I learned more about what it meant to be a superintendent in that school district than any," Salerno said. "I really had the opportunity to become a strong and effective educational leader. They had a strong staff and a lot of money."
Not always easy
Through the years, Salerno saw his share of tragedy. His first wife died suddenly from a cerebral hemorage, four months after giving birth to their second child. In 2000, at the age of 60, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. "I had surgery and decided to retire at that time," he said.
Salerno came out of retirement to work for the Capital Region Leadership Academy for four years, helping to increase the number of people interested in becoming school administrators. He took another year off before hearing about a challenging school system that was in need of a new superintendent. While he wasn’t aware of the issues that Winchester had been facing, he was somewhat familiar with the town and decided to look into the situation.
"Within two months I had the job. It just happened," Salerno said, "and I am thrilled to be here. This is an exciting place."
Life in the Laurel City
Salerno and his wife, Marilyn, now live in Winsted and they say they love the town. They have one child together and each have two children from previous marriages, with six grandchildren in all.
In addition to the love he has for his family, Salerno said he has a number of passions in life, including gardening, woodworking, reading, traveling, baking and opera. While he is not "a car person," Salerno has been criticized in recent news articles for driving a sporty red Mustang. His wife bought the car used, while getting her oil changed at a Ford dealereship. Salerno calls the car "a $14,000 oil change." He also rides a motorcycle and drives an older Ford pickup truck. "Cars to me have always been nothing but transportation," he said.
As for his current position with the Winchester Board of Education, Salerno has already put in two years and hopes to live out his promise of a few more good years. He plans on a full retirement when his job in Winchester is done.
"My certification ends at the end of five years. I will be 71," said Salerno, who often jokes that the town doesn’t want a superintendent who will be wiping drool off his chin.
With retirement, Salerno hopes to finally get the opportunity to travel. Having never left the United States, the former geography teacher wants to see the world.
"My children have traveled all over the world," Salerno said. "I think sometimes that it’s through our children that our fondest dreams are realized." Should he get the opportunity, Salerno would be pleased to see Italy, Mexico and a few other places himself but, if he doesn’t, he said that’s OK with him, too.
"If it all ends tomorrow, I have absolutely no regrets. I can’t think of anything I would have done differently overall. It’s been a wonderful, wonderful life."
