Bill Bolde – Saugus High School Principal Ready to Embrace the Life that Awaits Him

 It’s one thing to envision coming to the end of a career, and another to keep pushing through the finish line without slowing down. That’s exactly the mindset of Principal Bill Bolde who will be retiring after more than thirty years at Saugus High School.
“I have had a wonderful career and consider the Centurion campus to be my home,” Bill said, “It will be hard to step away knowing that so much of who I am and what I’ve become has been shaped by this school and those associated with it.”
His journey began in 1975 at Canyon High School where he worked as an athletic equipment manager and assistant coach of the baseball team for the next four years. While finishing his credential he begin student teaching, then he became a long-term substitute, and eventually a full-time teacher for Saugus High School. “We’re not here just to teach kids academically—we have a greater purpose to invest in their future and inspire them to go out and make the world a better place,” he said.
After fifteen years of teaching and coaching, Bill took on a more administrative role first as athletic director and then spending three years as assistant principal at Canyon High School. In 2003, he returned to the Saugus campus for good as principal. Although the first couple of years stretched him as a school leader, Bill was able to thrive in this new dynamic by building rapport with the students and making it a point to connect with and show support for every department head and staff member. Decades of history are told through the walls and shelves of his office, with over 250 pictures and an impressive collection of college mugs gifted to him by former students.

Through tremendous collaborative efforts over the years, Bill and his team have accomplished several hallmark programs and projects that make Saugus unique.  One of those being the Chinese Exchange program that has had a monumental impact on local and international students to help them gain a greater understanding of education and culture. The school has also initiated a four-year engineering program, unveiled a Courtyard of Courage honoring military graduates, and is in the process of completing a new Performing Arts Center named the Forum. “I love this place so much that I sometimes find myself overcommitted because I want the high school experience to be special for everyone,” Bill said.
In hopes of freeing up the 12 to 14 hour workdays and weekends to spend more time with his family, Bill is most looking forward to the new opportunities to pursue his passions for education and mentoring. His greatest ambition is to influence credential candidates at the university level and continue to give to that profession. He sees himself staying available as a resource for the high school and with his daughter Faith going into her sophomore year, involved as a parent creating props for the Saugus Dance Team or partnering with the Centurion Foundation and the Parent Teacher and Student Organization.
While his last day has not yet been determined, Bill is diligently preparing for the upcoming semester with plans to leave in early October. He is thankful to have developed life-long relationships within the community and created a legacy with gifted and hardworking parents, staff, and students.
“I’m so proud of Saugus High School and have so many amazing memories,” he said holding back tears,  “If that isn’t the ultimate blessing, I don’t know what is.“

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