St. Mary’s celebrates DiMaiti for 23 years of service

LYNN – “Teacher,” “mentor,” “magnificent,” “charismatic” and even “sarcastic” were words that came to mind Monday when St. Mary’s outgoing Principal Carl DiMaiti was celebrated during the annual End of School Mass.”It was a little overwhelming,” DiMaiti said following the nearly two-hour service. “I really don’t feel like I’m retiring.”DiMaiti, who also taught at the school for 10 years, is stepping down as principal, a position he’s held for 13 years. He will remain at the school, however, as the special assistant to the head of school with a focus on recruiting and fundraising.The Rev. Brian Flynn invited students and staffers alike to call out the first word that came to mind when they thought of DiMaiti. Board of Trustees Chairman Jack King said he often hears the word “family” connected to St. Mary’s.”Every good family has to have a father, and for the last 23 years that’s been Carl DiMaiti,” he said.Student Melissa LeFave called DiMaiti a hard-working, awesome principal and invited him to sit with his children, Carol and Drew, as his life played out in a slide show. DiMaiti joked later that the slide show was a surprise and he wished he had editorial control over some of the images. Most, however, showed him with his children, on vacation and in his role as principal.He then took center stage, literally, when they had him sit in a chair on the altar while his teenage daughter Carol reflected on her father’s legacy.Carol DiMaiti explained that her father became a track coach because of his love of the sport and even helped coach her brother, Drew, to a state championship in the 400 meter hurdles. She said he taught history at Bishop Fenwick until his father had a heart attack, then Carl DiMaiti came home to help run the family restaurant.”He helped Poppa make his dream of owning his own business come true and he married the love of his life,” she said, eliciting a round of “ahhhs.”Two years later he would also start the Carol DiMaiti Stuart Foundation after his sister was tragically killed, she added.”He provided my brother and me with every academic and athletic opportunity,” Carol DiMaiti said.And he wanted his students to succeed just as he wanted his children to succeed, she said.”My dad says that St. Mary’s is bigger than all of us but my father is St. Mary’s,” she said.DiMaiti told his students and colleagues that he has enjoyed his tenure.”I often like to tell the story that when I came here my friends at Bishop Fenwick said, ‘why are you going there, they’re going to close,” he said. “Now whenever we (beat) them in sports I say, ‘gee, why are you losing to a school that’s going to close?”DiMaiti said he’s had a great run at the school and he is looking forward to his new role, and he is excited at the idea of having a more nine-to-five existence.”No day is ever the same as the next as principal,” he said. “This will be a different kind of pressure but much less and I might actually have a schedule.”Chris Stevens can be reached at [email protected].