As Scott McAlister ends his 34-year career in education in June, there is much applause for him and his leadership the past 13 years with Homewood School District 153.
Words such as caring, empathetic, amazing, supportive are used by those who have interacted with him in his role first as James Hart School principal for seven years, then the assistant superintendent role to shadow outgoing Superintendent Dale Mitchell before taking over full responsibility in 2021 as district superintendent.
Hart Assistant Principal Laura Ugo remembers meeting McAlister, then an assistant principal at Homewood-Flossmoor High School, at an administrators’ meeting. She encouraged him to apply for the principal’s spot at Hart.
“We were elated to have him join us,” Ugo said.
District 153 school board President Alex Bosch recalled how “as principal at James Hart, Dr. McAlister memorized every student’s name within the first few weeks of school so he could greet them personally when he saw them in the hall.”
Bosch said McAlister did the same thing as superintendent “meeting with staff people in their building to hear their successes and challenges in their daily work.”
“I can truly say he is one of the best leaders I have worked with,” said Beth White, District 153 director of technology. “He cares deeply about this district, but even more importantly, he cares about the people in it — the students, staff and families who make this community so special.”
A switch from a business major set McAlister on his long path through education.
“My mother asked me, ‘If money weren’t an issue, what would you want to do?’ And I said I’d teach. And I went back and changed majors to secondary education,” he recalled. “I have not once regretted that decision.”
He was raised in West Lafayette, Indiana, and attended Purdue University. At a job fair he accepted a position at Munster High School. He knew nothing about Northwest Indiana or the Chicago area. For 10 years, he taught economics, U.S. history and U.S. government in Munster. Then he took a job as an econ teacher at H-F. He was in the classroom for six years before serving as the assistant principal for five years.
“The greatest satisfaction over 34 years, certainly as a classroom teacher working directly with kids for roughly half my career and indirectly for the other half, that I’ve influenced – hopefully in a positive way – thousands of kids,” McAlister said.
“Think about that and it’s just a really rewarding feeling. When we realize we’re on this earth for a short time and we hope to do something positive, influencing people is probably the best legacy and hopefully I’ve had that opportunity,” he said. Many former students have told him they were influenced by him in their career choices.
McAlister said his career has followed “a traditional arc” that prepared him for his leadership positions in District 153.
“I was as well prepared as anyone in this profession, but there’s some things that you really can’t prepare for until you’re doing it. As an example, dealing with such diverse age ranges. Moving to middle school from high school was an adjustment. Now (as superintendent) throw in kindergarten and their issues, so that takes learning. Spending time in the building helps in that regard,” he said.
During his five years as superintendent, “Conversations have ranged from simple to challenging, with agreements and disagreements,” Bosch said, recognizing “the goal was to identify a solution with the best outcome and to make a plan to execute them as seamlessly as possible.”
And always “to ensure a positive learning environment,” said Shelly Marks, past school board president. “His impact will be felt for years to come.”
