John P. Tobin
November 29, 1938 – September 12, 2019
JOHN TOBIN Educator, Coach, Staten Island Sports Hall of Famer and Advance Service Award recipient, Founding President of Board of Trustees of New World Prep Charter School and served over 30 years as Vice President of the PSAL Wingate Memorial Fund.
SI Live.com – John Tobin, legendary St. Peter’s HS track and field coach, passes at 80
By George Kochman, Special to the Advance, posted September 13, 2019
Bill Welsh, the dean of Island coaches, said, “I miss John already. He was the most brilliant man anyone could hope to meet. He could talk with anyone and did so much for Island track. He was the best friend anyone could have. He’s probably talking to St. Peter right now, getting him organized.”
John P. Tobin – a retired New York City high school principal, administrative superintendent, assistant to three Chancellors of the former New York City Board of Education, Vice President of the Siemens Foundation and Founding Chairman of the Board of Trustees of New World Prep Charter School in Port Richmond. John was a 2006 inductee to the Staten Island Sports Hall of Fame and a former recipient of the Staten Island Advance’s All Star Service award in 1968.
Born in Hell’s Kitchen, Manhattan, John was brought to Staten Island as an infant. During World War II he attended schools in North and South Carolina while living with his family returning to Staten Island in 1950 where he resided the remainder of his life. An Alum of St. Peter’s Boys high school, class of 1956 and Manhattan College where he was a member of the legendary Manhattan College track and field teams of the late nineteen fifties. John began teaching and coaching on Staten Island in St. Peter’s Boys High School and Port Richmond High School. As a young teacher, John continued his graduate work at Wagner College, St. John’s University, Long Island University and Kean College in New Jersey where he achieved his professional certifications for leadership roles in schools in New York State. He then served as an assistant principal and athletic director at Tottenville High School until being selected to serve as an Administrative Superintendent in the role of Executive Assistant to Chancellor Frank Macchiarola continuing to serve in the Chancellor’s office for the next two successive Chancellors until returning to the role of principal at John Dewey high school in Brooklyn, Tottenville on Staten Island and finally at Brooklyn Technical High School.
“Coach” Tobin’s role as a Cross Country, Track and Field coach at Saint Peters, Port Richmond and Tottenville was legendary as his teams won many major events and developed some great runners, jumpers and throwers. His Tottenville team of 1982 still holds the record for scoring the most points in New York City PSAL outdoor Track and Field championships with over 240 points. For his coaching and leadership in the Track and Field community, John was inducted to the Staten Island Sports Hall of Fame in 2006 where his efforts as a “driving force in the New York Empire State Games and the New York City Big Apple Games” were noted.
After leaving the Board of Education, John became the Director of Apprenticeship Training for Siemens Corporation, North America where he developed apprenticeship training in community colleges around the country. While at Siemens, Mr. Tobin initiated the Siemens Westinghouse Science and Technology competitions and formed the Siemens Foundation which named him as its Executive Vice President.
During his career with Siemens, John was recognized as a national expert of American “Tech Prep” and “School to Work” models of education for adolescents training to enter the workforce before entering into a college. He served on many national boards including the National Employers’ Leadership Council. After eight years at Siemens John retired and began working together with Project Hospitality, and a consortium of leaders from the Port Richmond and immigrant communities to develop a charter school. This project culminated with the September 2010 opening of New World Prep Charter School on Sharpe Avenue in Port Richmond. This was Staten Island’s first middle school charter. Mr. Tobin was at the helm of the Board of Trustees from inception until July 1st of this year after which Mr. Tobin became President of the Friends of New World Prep.
A member of many professional organizations, John was active with Staten Island Track, Running and Community (SITRAC)in its early years, where he served as its first president. He was selected as a “non-trustee” member of the Staten Island Catholic Regional strategic planning committee and was a member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians. His passion for education allowed him to serve as Vice President of the PSAL Wingate Memorial Fund for over thirty-five years and as a member of the Board of Advisors for the Gateway to Higher Education program at CUNY’s City College for over thirty years as well.
