MARLBORO – As he walks the halls of Marlboro High School, Principal Jim Mullevey greets most students by name and asks how the prom was the previous weekend, telling the young ladies how beautiful they looked and asking to see photos.
Mullevey, the top administrator at the school since 1996, has been involved in education for 36 years. He is retiring at the end of the current school year.
“I had a teacher in high school who I thought was terrible and belittled people. I said, ‘I’ve got to do a better job than this,’ ” he said, explaining his decision to pursue a career in education.
The most important part of his job is the effect he has on children, said Mullevey, and seeing the students and the school grow are the highlights.
“The high school itself and how far we’ve come as an academic institution” are other high points, he said, pointing out that test scores, college acceptances and involvement in after-school activities have all increased during his tenure.
“I believe the kids should use this high school constantly; we have 1,000 kids who stay after school every night Monday to Thursday in clubs or organizations. I think it’s a place for kids to be, they should stay in their high school,” he said.
Mullevey, who averages a 60- to 80-hour work week, plans to retire to a 300-year-old home in Massachusetts that he has restored. He also plans to do some traveling.
“I think it’s time for new blood to take over. I think after 35-and-a-half years it’s time to say, ‘Look, I’ve made my mark, I think it’s time for other people to step up and make this an even better high school than it is when I was here,’ ” he said.
He also plans do some educational consulting.
“People are already on my heels, and we’ll see what happens,” Mullevey said.