Tinkering with technology is Rick Merullo's forte. Over the past 31 years, the Ipswich industrial arts and education teacher instructed classes in cabinet making, woodworking, CAD drafting and robotics. And, he spearheaded the school-to-work program in which seniors intern at local businesses during their last quarter.
But this year the Essex resident is hanging up his tool belt. Merullo looks forward to new challenges after retirement.
"I'm going to miss the interaction with students and working with very professional colleagues," says Merullo. "There have been a lot of changes in education that have really helped to make the school better."
Merullo was one of 10 Mass. pilot educators in 2003 to implement the Museum of Science's "Engineering The Future" course at the high school. Designed to expose students to the roles engineers and scientists play in the development of new technologies, the program is endorsed today by more than 160 teachers.
ETF, as it is known, was created by Ioannis N. Miaoulis, president and director of The Museum of Science.
"He was previously a dean of engineering at Tufts University who felt American schools were not creating enough engineers," explains Merullo. "A lot of jobs were being filled by the international community. This is a way to interest high school kids about what's involved."
Merullo took part in focus group conferences in Boston where teachers gave feedback on ETF during the early stages of the course. This association of technical education teachers is known as MASSTECH.
Merullo was passionate about industrial arts at an early age, citing his father as a big influence.
"He bought some tools and built a shop at our home in Reading," Merullo says.
Merullo fondly remembers putting together wooden bowls with his brothers. These were then given to aunts and uncles as gifts.
"I enjoyed it quite a bit," he says. "I liked building things and seeing the results of my efforts."
Merullo remained interested in woodworking throughout junior high but decided to study marketing at UMass Amherst. Over the summers he worked in carpentry and installed swimming pools.
"Seven of my friends," he says, "became teachers and encouraged me to become one. I had always wanted to pass my skills along to students."
Merullo started teaching at Ipswich High in 1977, teaching seven classes in eight periods.
"I had some big shoes to fill," he explains. "During my first nine years we had populations of 700 students. forty percent of the kids in my woodworking program were female."
Drawn to the area due to the town's proximity to the ocean and historic homes, Merullo became part of the school community.
"I was attracted to the size of the school and the fact that it had a successful existing industrial arts program," Merullo says.
One of his favorite memories from the early years was having students use colonial pine in building cabinets and furniture.
"The material was really fitting with the Ipswich community," he says.
The students also constructed mantel clocks with inlays and roll-top, oak desks.
In the early 90s computers came into play with Merullo's CAD drafting classes. Students drew up house plans and local designers came in for demonstrations.
"Architects like Ken Savoie and Bill Nolan showed students their designs and how they worked to meet the wishes of their clients," says Merullo. "I'd also show students local pieces of land that were for sale in such places as Topsfield and have them come up with some drawings. They needed to pay attention to the terrain and incorporate some green features to the houses."
Merullo then became coordinator of a committee of 10 to develop the school-to-work program at Ipswich High.
"This was provided by a federal grant," Merullo says. "Schools needed new ways to expose kids to careers. I did that for the past 12 years with history teacher Jeff Krieger as co-coordinator."
Past interns with the school to work program served at such businesses as Beverly Hospital in Beverly and Mullen Advertising in Wenham.
"Ipswich High has really grown since the new building went up in 2000 and is a good place to be a teacher or student," explains Merullo.
http://www.wickedlocal.com/ipswich/news/x1346881546/High-School-teacher-calls-it-a-career
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