City mourns loss of 'tireless' Toll Gate Principal

By Tessa Roy
Posted 9/22/16

Toll Gate High School Principal Stephen Chrabaszcz, a man known for constantly putting the needs of his students ahead of his own, passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday night. Steve was an institution here in Warwick. He was very respected"

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

E-mail
Password
Log in

City mourns loss of 'tireless' Toll Gate Principal

Posted

Toll Gate High School Principal Stephen Chrabaszcz, a man known for constantly putting the needs of his students ahead of his own, passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday night.

"Steve was an institution here in Warwick. He was very respected by his colleagues and beloved by many staff and students. His passion for staying in touch with parents and teachers on a 24/7 basis is unparalleled,” said Superintendent Phillip Thornton in a statement. “He has left a lasting impact on his school. Our deepest condolences to his family.”

Mayor Scott Avedisian echoed Thornton’s comments, thanking other schools in the district for “overwhelming” support and calling the principal “full of life.”

“It is with great sadness that we mourn the loss of Steven Chrabaszcz. He was a fixture in the Warwick School system and a man whose passion for his students and their educational aspirations was unparalleled. I knew him to be a man full of life and enthusiasm with a remarkable way of putting the needs of his students before all else,” said Mayor Scott Avedisian. “On behalf of the entire City of Warwick, we extend our deepest sympathies to Barbara and his family.”

Toll Gate was open Wednesday, but all after school activities and late buses were cancelled. Assistant Principal Tim Kane respectfully declined to comment, saying only that the school was in shock. Counselors were made available for students, faculty and staff to help cope with their grief.

Chrabaszcz was extensively educated and experienced. After a tenure in the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam War, he received both a B.A. and Master’s in English from Brown University and a Master’s in Secondary Administration from Providence College. His educational career began in 1976 at Franklin High School in Massachusetts, where he taught English. From there, he launched a career as an administrator. He was assistant principal of Blackstone-Millville Regional School District in Massachusetts (where he’d return years later as principal); principal of Tiverton High School in Rhode Island, where he was named “Man of the Year” in 1996; assistant principal at Johnston High School; and principal at Winthrop High School in Massachusetts before settling in at Toll Gate. Chrabaszcz was always an active member of his communities; he was an Elks Club member at Winthrop Lodge of Elks, a director of swimming at the Rhode Island Interscholastic League, a member of the Down Syndrome Society of Rhode Island, and established the handicapped league of T.E.A.M. Johnston.

School Committee Chair Beth Furtado was “beyond devastated” by the death of her friend and called him “a force to be reckoned with.”

“He protected and did everything he could for his students,” she said through tears. “I remember telling him he better live up to everything he said he would be, and he did.”

Chrabaszcz believed deeply in education, fellow School Committee member Karen Bachus said. She cited the principal’s deep involvement with the school community, saying his death is a loss for the entire city of Warwick.

“He was always at anything. He was the biggest cheerleader for the kids and our schools. He loved those kids as if they were his own and we all loved him,” she said. “He was like everybody’s dad. He was a terrific man, husband and father to his family.”

The principal’s academic and athletic department counterparts said Chrabaszcz was consistently supportive and reliable.

“Steve was a tireless, dedicated leader who lived for the students at Toll Gate High School. He was literally available 24/7 for anything a student, their families, and members of the faculty needed. He was always present at school events and especially supported Toll Gate’s athletic teams. Steve was never in it for himself, the students always came first,” said William Aquiltane, math teacher and assistant cross-country coach.

"It's absolutely devastating," Toll Gate head football coach Jim Stringfellow added. "Steve was amazing. The three years that I've been here, he was a huge supporter of the football program and all of the athletic teams."

According to Stringfellow, bad weather never deterred the principal from showing up on the sidelines.

"My first year we were playing Lincoln and it was absolutely freezing out. I turned around and there was Steve with us on the sidelines,” he said. “I said to him, 'What are you doing here?' He just said, 'I'm here to support my school.' And then last season, we were playing in Middletown in a rainstorm. I turned around and there was Steve again. He was just unbelievable."

Chrabaszcz wasn’t without controversy. He had his legal battles with the Johnston School Committee and was cited in a suit by a Toll Gate teacher who claimed she had been wrongfully terminated. He was cleared of allegations in the Warwick suit.

However, lawsuits are not what Toll Gate community members are remembering about Chrabaszcz.

Like Stringfellow, parent Steve Capaldi said Chrabaszcz never feared risking his safety to support students in inclement weather. He has many memories of the principal standing at the top of the hill in the school parking lot to direct traffic during horrific conditions.

“It could have been torrential rain, a prelude to a blizzard, or really icy, but he would be up there,” Capaldi said. “I don’t know many people who would do that.”

Indeed, the legacy Chrabaszcz leaves is largely positive.

“During the 10 years that he served as Toll Gate’s principal he built a strong foundation of communication with parents and teachers, making himself available to them around the clock. The impact he leaves behind is immeasurable,” said Mayor Avedisian.

Arrangements for Chrabaszcz’s services were not yet made as of press time.

(With reports from Tim Forsberg, Jake Marrocco and Matt Metcalf)

Comments

2 comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here

  • Biggameatball

    He was a role model Principal. RIP Mr. Chrabaszcz.

    Thursday, September 22, 2016 Report this

  • ThatGuyInRI

    I knew Steve through a mutual friend. Great guy, hard worker, dedicated to his craft. It's a big loss for his family as well as the Warwick School dept.

    Thursday, September 29, 2016 Report this