Principal Steve McKenna calls out numbers at PTO Bingo Night in 2013.
In a surprise announcement, Stephen McKenna, principal of the Smith (K-4) portion of the Lincoln School, said he would be retiring in June.
McKenna informed Superintendent of Schools Becky McFall of his decision on April 8 and told parents in an email the next day. “Steve and I had not had any conversations this year about his plans for next year,” McFall said. “It came completely from Steve.”
In an interview with the Lincoln Squirrel, McKenna, 57, said he had been considering the move for the past year or two as he approached the maximum pension he could receive under the Massachusetts Teacher Retirement System. (Depending on a teacher or school administrator’s years of service and age, the maximum lifetime pension is 80 percent of his or her salary averaged across their last three years of service, he said.)
“I didn’t want to announce this late. I would have loved for to be earlier in the year, but I had to get my personal financials set… and make sure my family would be cared for,” McKenna said.
During his time in Lincoln, McKenna said he appreciated the support of the School Committee and parents but also spoke of the “continually challenging” aspects of the job such as ever-increasing federal and state accountability requirements and “fast-paced changes they expect to happen immediately.”
“I worry that the young people in the role now won’t be there for 34 years. It’s a different experience” from when he entered teaching, McKenna said.
McKenna’s 34-year career has included nine years at the Lincoln School as well as stints as a principal in Dedham and Abington and as a teacher in Belmont. He is a lifelong resident of Lexington, where his wife (whom he met in second grade) has served on numerous town organizations including the Board of Selectmen.
In the future, he said he would be open to a job as an interim principal or some other position involving children but has not made any plans.
“The piece that has really buoyed my spirits is the kids,” said McKenna. Several children who had heard about his impending retirement expressed surprise and disappointment and asked him why, “and that totally threw me off guard,” he said. “I found myself stumbling over what to say… that’s why I went into the field to begin with.” He said he had also gotten some nice notes from parents. “Even though people don’t always pick up the phone and say ‘everything’s going great,’ there’s a huge reservoir of positive feeling out there, and I’m focusing on that. I’m so fortunate to be in this community.”