Spotlight on Retirees: Mr. Feeley

Mr. Feeley, a staple of John Jay’s math department, will be retiring after 25 years of service to the school. Known for teaching Algebra 2, Geometry, and Programming over the course of his career, his retirement will be a sore loss for the math department.

Mr. Feeley previously worked at IBM for 13 years before joining Wappingers Central School District in the Fall of 1999, however his work at IBM did not lead to him becoming a teacher, but in fact it was his love for coaching basketball. Beginning in 1984, Mr. Feeley has had a career of over 30 years coaching high school basketball, most notably at Spackenkill High School and at John Jay. He began first coaching freshmen, then soon moving to coaching varsity basketball in 1989. Feeley credits the interactions and experiences he had with his players as being the reason behind his pursuing teaching. 

At the start of his career, Feeley stated that the transition to teaching was a “culture shock”. The early years of being a teacher were split between John Jay and Van Wyck Junior High, which both have their various differences between grade levels. As he continued to teach, he found that the best advice to new teachers and to students is “don’t sweat the small stuff”. Even in his coaching career, he has changed teams and undergone challenging times for his players, but has always come out on top successful in his endeavors. 

When asked what he will miss most about John Jay and teaching, Feeley says that he will “miss his colleagues and the students” most and that he is looking forward to retirement. As for his retirement plans, he plans on “spoiling the grandkids and spending time in the Carolinas at his beach house.” 

The Patriot Post extends our congratulations on Mr. Feeley’s retirement and we wish him the best!