Less than five months after retiring as superintendent of the Cazenovia Central School District, Robert S. Dubik last week passed away at the age of 61 after a brief battle with cancer.

Dubik “passed away quietly at home with his family by his side,” according to his obituary from Thomas J. Pirro Jr. Funeral Home.

The news came as a shock to much of the Cazenovia community, with most people not even knowing that he was sick.

“The whole Cazenovia community was saddened to hear of Bob’s unexpected passing, especially so quickly after his retirement,” said Mayor Kurt Wheeler, who is also a teacher at Cazenovia High School. “We are all appreciative of his many years of effort on the greater Cazenovia area’s behalf, not only as a superintendent, but previously as an assistant principal and principal and always as an active member of our community.”

“He was a colleague; he was a leader; he was a mentor; he was a friend — he was a giant in this community,” said Cazenovia CSD Superintendent Matt Reilly. “His fingerprints are all over this school.”

Reilly said he spoke with Dubik’s wife, Terri, Friday morning and learned the news; he had all district principals and supervisors inform the teachers and staff at the end of the school day Friday, he said.

The district plans to hold a reception to honor Dubik in the high school gym after the Nov. 22 funeral services, Reilly said.

Dubik had a 38-year career in education, which began in his hometown of Erie and included 14 years in Cazenovia, the last 10 of which he served as district superintendent.

“I’ve had a great career,” Dubik told the Cazenovia Republican during an interview in June, just before his retirement. “Every single place I’ve been I’ve learned, I’ve met and worked with great people and everyone has benefited. … I’m leaving with as much excitement and passion about education as when I came.”

In his career in education, Dubik was a teacher as well as an administrator; worked in rural, suburban and urban districts, both public and private; and taught both general education and special needs students. This diversity of experiences through the years helped him became a well-rounded educator who learned as much as he taught in every position he held, he said.

Dubik began teaching in 1976 as a third and fourth grade teacher at Holy Rosary Catholic School in Erie — the same classroom, in fact, in which he was student. He worked there for four years, during which time he also achieved his degree in business, and then moved to the city of Syracuse, which was his wife’s hometown.

In 1980, Dubik began work at Fowler High School in the Syracuse City School District, where he taught special education for five years and served as summer school principal. During this time, he also worked as the director of education for Elmcrest Children’s Center, a private school in Syracuse. Eventually, Dubik went on to become an administrative intern at Porter and Seymour elementary schools in the Syracuse city district.

Dubik came to Cazenovia in 1991 to serve as assistant principal of Cazenovia High School under then-Principal Tom Long. Three years later, Dubik was hired to become principal at Burton Street Elementary School, where he stayed from 1993 to 1995.

During the 1994-95 school year, Dubik instituted a new multi-age classroom program — the same program that still exists today.

In 1996, Dubik decided to make a lateral move and become the principal at Chestnut Hill Elementary School in the Liverpool Central School District. “I didn’t want to leave, but Liverpool offered more opportunity for growth, and I needed to learn more to be a superintendent,” he said.

In 1998, he accepted a position with Waterloo Central School District as assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction. In 2002, he left Waterloo to lead Port Byron Central Schools as superintendent.

Port Byron was a “great experience,” Dubik said, but he always knew he wanted to get back to Cazenovia. And then in 2004, the district advertised for a new superintendent. So he submitted his application. Dubik said his selection as Cazenovia superintendent was “kind of a full loop” after leaving the district nine years earlier.

During his 10-year tenure as superintendent, the Cazenovia district has had numerous accomplishments of which he is proud, he said, including: the creation of cultural diversity programs with Syracuse city students; the community service requirement for graduation; the institution of new electives, new AP classes and college dual credit classes; state and national recognition for the high school’s Project Lead the Way, agriculture, engineering and music programs; the numerous local and state awards and championships won by Cazenovia athletes; $19 million in district physical improvements; 10 budgets passed by voters; and, — the one that “has to be the highlight,” he said — the recognition of Burton Street Elementary as a 2012 National Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education.

Looking back over his 38-year career in education, Dubik said had no regrets, and he was “absolutely proud” of his many accomplishments.

“This is a great place to end my career,” Dubik said.

In his 14 years in the Cazenovia Central School District, Dubik achieved many successes, made institutional changes, attended at least one event for every school sport and extracurricular activity offered and been a constant and visible participant in community organizations and events.

In addition to his role as superintendent, Dubik also was a member of the Cazenovia Lions Club and the Greater Cazenovia Area Chamber of Commerce, and community residents could always count on seeing him at the many annual events of the two organizations.

A Funeral Mass in celebration of Dubik’s life will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 22, at St. James Roman Catholic Church, 6 Green St., in Cazenovia. Family and friends may call from 3 to 7 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 21, at the Thomas J. Pirro Jr. Funeral Home, 3401 Vickery Road (corner of Buckley Road) North Syracuse.

The Cazenovia Central School District will host a reception in honor of Dubik after the Saturday funeral services in the Cazenovia High School gym. All are invited to attend.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Robert S. Dubik Memorial Scholarship Fund, 5767 East Lake Road, Cazenovia, NY 13035.

Jason Emerson is editor of the Cazenovia Republican. He can be reached at [email protected].