SAYING HELLO TO GOODBYE

After 35 years of guiding families on how to “say hello to goodbye,” John Colello embarks on his own graduation from Episcopal High School.

Ever since his days as Dean of Students, you’ll typically find John on the move. In his own words, “I was always on campus, I was never in my office, and I was very visible.” Whether it’s welcoming fans to Candace U. Simmons Track and Field Complex on Friday nights, emceeing at Field Knight, or applying glue to the back of every senior’s Leaving Tree leaf, John has achieved omnipresence. Like Prince or Madonna, he affectionately goes by only one name: Dean. “The amusing thing is that non-EHS students would know of me and call me Dean,” he says.

On the rare occasion you find John in his office, take note of the decor. Episcopal memorabilia and swag-assorted coffee mugs, yard signs, and buttons cover every square inch of his bookshelves and walls. His fondness for all things EHS is abundantly clear, down to the pair of Episcopal Blue magnetic readers he wears around his neck (he owns five of them, if you’re wondering).

For John, it’s always been about relationships. “Students could come and talk to me about anything. Back then I memorized all the names of the students,” he says. Although he’s had hundreds of conversations through the years, he never tires of being there for EHS community members. “You’re the most important person in the world at the time,” he says. Over the past years, John no longer needed to rely on his rolodex when he traveled the country visiting former alumni (sometimes driving at 4:00 a.m. to make it in time for breakfast). His love and pride for them was palpable as he recounted details about their postEHS lives.

John has not only fostered strong relationships with students, but also with their families. “Early on the parents realized I was an advocate for their student. They also realized I made sure that, to the best of my ability, I would do the right thing for the student and family,” he says. In his role as Dean of Parent Programs and School Legacy, he has continued to minister to families and help them feel welcome at EHS.

During his tenure at Episcopal, John has left his mark, and his legacy will live on in the traditions he helped create: Leaving Tree, Field Knight, The Gong Squad, and the After-Graduation Party (to name a few). He is quick to give credit to parents and others who have helped him along the way. “We did it together,” he says.

with EHS Teachers

Pop Quiz turns the table on teachers and asks them to respond to a list of quick questions. Their enthusiastic responses reveal the values, quirks, and interests that make them so effective in teaching EHS students.