Community service award honors Rosemary Joseph

Northborough/Southborough - Rosemary Joseph spent less than a year as the superintendent of the Northborough and Southborough schools, but she left a lasting impression on those she worked with. So lasting an impression, in fact, that the school district has chosen to commemorate her legacy with an award in her name.

Rosemary Joseph The Rosemary Joseph Community Service Award will be presented yearly to a graduating senior from Algonquin Regional High School who has made outstanding contributions to the community through volunteering, social awareness and a connection to others.

Joseph, 54, died unexpectedly a year ago after serving just 10 months as the superintendent of the Northborough and Southborough school district.

"We were really lucky to have had her as our superintendent, even if it was for much too short a time," said Charles Gobron, who replaced Joseph as superintendent, first on an interim basis, and then permanently. "Rosemary was a person who had a great vision for the district. She cared deeply about the students, teachers and staff ."

The announcement of the award in Joseph's honor is the culmination of about 10 months of work by a committee created to discuss appropriate tributes to Joseph and choose the one most fitting.

"In the end, a community service award seemed most appropriate because volunteering was something that was very near and dear to her," Gobron said. "Rosemary felt strongly that students needed to be involved in community service projects. She believed that community service should be required of all students in order to graduate."

Gobron said a committee of members of the high school community will establish the selection criteria and then select the winner of the first Rosemary Joseph Community Service Award.

"The award will establish a legacy for Rosemary and mark the contributions she made to the district within the short time she served as its superintendent," Gobron said.

The award will be presented to the winning student at the high school's annual Awards Night, which this year will be held Tuesday May 20.