It was with great sadness that I learned of the passing of Tom Sobol, former assistant superintendent of the Great Neck Schools. So many visions flash through my mind of him and of our relationship. With deference to the many wonderful colleagues with whom I have served, Tom was, simply stated, the most outstanding individual with whom I have had the pleasure of serving in my 44 years of being an active educator and in my 23 years of continued involvement in retirement. No one has left such a huge and lasting legacy in so short a time in our schools.
While at Great Neck, we bonded and shared many good and not-so-good times. When one or the other had a particularly poor day, we drove to Jones Beach and played shuffleboard to unwind.
Tom was the creator of the Village School in Great Neck. It was one of the first alternative schools in the nation and is still going strong. It really should be named after him. It was his idea and his plan.
I don’t know of anyone who used the English language with such eloquence, clarity and dignity. We have lost a great human being, a great leader and I a good friend. I’m sure others in Great Neck have similar feelings and remembrances of Tom.
Gil Blum
