David DePlacido is a not only a new transition teacher in the post secondary program Pathways Program in Malden High School but he is also a returning teacher. DePlacido first worked as a substitute teacher in Malden High while he was still in college. It was also his first position when he was still in college.
When DePlacido was in college his father, John DePlacido, was an adjustment counselor at Malden High and decided to work at Malden High as well.
DePlacido has been in the school system for a total of 24 years. He started off working as a paraprofessional for two years. He then took a leave of absence, for two years to work and live in Spain with his wife, where she is from. DePlacido taught English and learned Spanish while living in Spain. He also met his wife in Malden High School when she was a Spanish teacher in 2002.
DePlacido went on to say that it “was really good for me too” and that it “opens up your mind a little bit more” to see that “it’s just one world and we’re all just trying to make a living.” He further stated that “it really was a good lesson and thing for me to experience.”
DePlacido had also taught in the Malden Alternative High School, which is now the CBD Parking Garage. The alternative high school gets students ready to come back into the high school, “they did it for a few years and then they integrated that into the high school here… it kind of evolved into the Pathways Program.”
DePlacido had worked many positions in the 24 years he had been in the system. One of those positions was in 2012 as an adaptive PE teacher for the district of Malden, where he’d go to all the middle schools. He had also worked as a teacher in the elementary pathways program for grades 5 and 6 in Linden S.T.E.A.M Academy for eight years.
The Linden is an innovation school “that allowed us to really kind of be creative,” and that taught him, “how to be creative and research what other people are doing to reach kids who are having a difficult time learning.”
DePlacido became the right person for the position as the transition teacher, because of his experience in the school system and in Malden High. When asked about hiring DePlacido, Malden High School’s principal Chris Mastrangelo, said that DePlacido have “been working within the special ed department in Malden for years, so he knows a lot about the special ed department…” and that they “were excited because [they] knew the type of guy he was,” which “really helped a lot.”
“[He is] a good guy to have around...period. Especially around our kids,” stated Mastrangelo.
“I think [he is] one of the best teachers [we have] ever had in the system” added Ronald Janowicz, Director of the Pathways Program.
When asked about hiring DePlacido, Janowicz, who was also part of the hiring process for the transition teacher position, said that “[He is] here because the kids are here. And he wants to make sure that their needs are met and he wants to make sure that he does a good job with him and he wants them to succeed. He’s a good guy to have.”
For his degrees, DePlacido went to Plymouth State University in New Hampshire and then Salem State to get his masters degree. He played lacrosse at Plymouth and coached it at Salem State. He also was a coach for Malden High’s lacrosse team. He was a coach for about four years. DePlacido became a coach because his dad was a coach at the Lincoln Junior High School in 1976, which is now just Lincoln park.
Some of DePlacido’s favorite memories as a kid and in sports were from the Lincoln. “[He] felt like all those guys on the team were more important than the Patriots.” Whenever DePlacido thought back to that team it brought up good positive emotions “that made [him] want to give back to Malden.”
At the end of the interview, DePlacido noted that “there are so many teachers [in MHS] that inspired [him] throughout his career.” He also said that Janowicz is the one who convinced him into working at Malden High when DePlacido got out of college.
Mastrangelo and Janowicz both hope that DePlacido stay in Malden High for a while. “At least until I retire,” said Janowicz, “[He is] good with the kids… he’s genuine, he’s sincere, very interested in making sure the kids succeed.”
You can find Mr. DePlacido in room H206.
