Faculty Friday Spotlight: Mr. Michael Scarlata
Happy Faculty Friday! This weekend, twenty-six students and faculty members will travel north to Vermont for the Spring Kairos retreat. Appropriately enough, we profile Mr. Michael Scarlata today, one of the adult leaders on this weekend’s retreat experience.
At Saint Joseph Prep, Mr. Scarlata keeps busy in the classroom teaching U.S. History, World History 1 and 2, and Economics. Outside of class, he also coaches the Golf team in the fall, Girls’ Hockey in the winter, and Softball in the spring. Now in his fifth year at Saint Joseph Prep, Mr. Scarlata has also attended one of the two annual Kairos retreats every year and is active with Campus Ministry.
Mr. Scarlata grew up in the Greater Boston Area and attended St. Sebastian’s School. While at St. Seb’s, he played football, hockey, and golf and was a member of the Art Club. In fact, he won an Art award during his senior year.
After graduating from Boston College with a Bachelor’s degree in Communications, he worked in the finance industry for nine years both here in Boston and in Seattle. He also spent time living abroad in London. Although successful in finance, Mr. Scarlata had always had an interest in education and eventually pursued a career change. After spending time in the Needham public school district, he connected with his old Theology teacher, Mr. Nunan, and joined the faculty at Saint Joseph Prep.
Having been at SJP since its inception, Mr. Scarlata has witnessed many changes over the years. On campus, there have been numerous physical changes, including the Learning Commons renovation, the addition of new Science labs, and a new Fitness Center, among other improvements. These developments have created more productive spaces that “have a lot more to offer students and faculty.”
Additionally, Mr. Scarlata has seen the growth in academic opportunity for the students through a challenging curriculum that is enhanced every year with new material. “Unlike other schools that may have an established tradition of doing things a specific way, we are always striving to improve the academic experience for our students.” In fact, taking advantage of SJP’s relationship with Boston College, Mr. Scarlata is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Education at BC, where you can find him one or two evenings a week.
This weekend, Mr. Scarlata will head to Vermont with students and faculty to participate in the Spring Kairos retreat. Although he never had the opportunity to attend the Jesuit retreat as a student, he greatly values and is appreciative of the chance to lead as an adult. Over the years, watching students come together and share their stories in a safe setting has inspired him to reflect on his own faith. Without clocks or cell phones, everyone can focus on connecting with God, building relationships with the other participants, and taking some time to just breathe. It is a powerful experience and Mr. Scarlata loves seeing the love and energy students bring back to SJP.
When he’s not at Saint Joseph Prep teaching and coaching, Mr. Scarlata is often busy with his own studies. He enjoys golf when the weather cooperates, playing with his dog, Dempsey, going out to new restaurants, and exploring Boston.
Thank you, Mr. Scarlata, for all that you do here at SJP! Enjoy Kairos this weekend!