Long-serving educator has no plans to slow down

John Bruno, a Huron-Superior Catholic District School Board trustee, is still enjoying a long career in education.

Before being elected as a school board trustee in 2022, Bruno worked with the H-SCDSB for 37 years as a teacher, principal and superintendent of education.

Born in Sault Ste. Marie to hard-working Italian immigrants who came to Canada in the early 1950s, Bruno developed a love of education at an early age.

“My parents were busy working and trying to make ends meet and they instilled in me a great love of going to school so that I could have a better life,” Bruno told SooToday in a recent interview.

After elementary school, he began his high school days at St. Mary’s College.

“I met a lot of wonderful people at St. Mary’s College. It didn’t take long for me to gain confidence and I looked forward to going to school every day.”

It was there that Bruno first showed his competitive nature.

“I loved sports and I started to play football and basketball. I excelled at football and I learned how to be part of a team.”

The SMC football team of which Bruno was a member won the NOSSA championship in 1973.

Bruno and his teammates marked the 50th anniversary of that championship this year.

“That was a great moment in my life,” he said.

Bruno began his post-secondary education at the University of Western Ontario and completed it at Algoma University before going to North Bay Teachers’ College. 

“The late 1970s proved to be very difficult in finding a job as a teacher and I didn’t want to go out of town because of the needs of my family, so I got a job at Algoma Steel,” he said.

Bruno worked at the steel plant for three years.

Putting his love for learning to use, he took metallurgical courses at Sault College during his days as a steelworker.

Eventually, the Sault’s Catholic school board called Bruno and offered him a teaching position.

“I was being paid well at the time but my first love was teaching so it didn’t take me long to accept and I started my teaching career at Sacred Heart School. I had my own classroom with smiling children. It was exciting. I tried to teach inspiring lessons so that the love of learning would stay with our students.”

Outside the classroom, he coached basketball, soccer, volleyball and track and field.

He later became an elementary school principal, first at St. Ann, then at St. Paul. 

“I always displayed a logo in the main foyer of the school that read ‘Best Students, Best Teachers and Best School,’” Bruno said.

“I really believed in that and wanted that to happen with everything that went on in the school when I was principal. We worked hard. We played hard,” Bruno said.

He became a H-SCDSB superintendent of education and served in that capacity for 10 years before retiring from the board.

“I was given a portfolio of schools from the Sault to Espnola. Each of those schools was a community and I tried to bring my skills to those schools by putting the children first at all times.”

He retired from the H-SCDSB after 37 years.

“I stayed home for a year doing all the little things around the house but it didn’t fulfill me after a career of being around people,” Bruno said.

With that, he accepted an offer of employment from Sam Biasucci, SalDan Developments president.

At SalDan, he went to work in a human resources role and prepared grant applications for various projects.

Now in his fifth year at SalDan, Bruno is the company’s senior planner.

“It was a different atmosphere from the education sector but I learned to adapt and I like it when a plan for a building comes together. One of our biggest accomplishments is the new Legion building,” Bruno said.

Though enjoying his work at SalDan, Bruno felt the need to run for office.

After an unsuccessful run for a Ward 3 city council seat in the 2018 municipal election, Bruno returned to the H-SCDSB and his first love of education in 2022 - this time as an elected school board trustee.

“I’ve been involved in political associations since I was 18 years old. I always had that feeling that I wanted to do it. I was busy being a teacher but then the opportunity came so I embarked on it,” Bruno said.

“I was ecstatic when I got elected. My family supported me, my friends supported me. I felt quite fulfilled to accomplish another feat and start another part of my life. It’s going quite well and I’m enjoying it very much.”

Having worked for the board as an employee for 37 years, he brings a wealth of experience to the organization as a trustee.

“I have all those years behind me and if I can help make the system better and make it grow my vision will be fulfilled,” Bruno said.  

He also currently serves as the Sault Ste. Marie Police Services Board chair and in previous years he served with the Sault Ste. Marie Housing Authority (now the District of Sault Ste. Marie Social Services Administration Board).

Now 68, Bruno has no plans to slow down and intends to stay involved.

“I get energy from being around people. I like that very much because it keeps me going. My family says it keeps me young as I go through my senior years. My whole life has been about learning so the more I interact with other people, the more I feel fulfilled.”

“My lifetime of community involvement has meant that I can give back to a city and a school board that has given so much to me and my family,” said the married father of one daughter.

Having taught so many children over the years, Bruno said he encourages young people to get involved in the community.

"Enjoy each day and every day. Love one another and give back whenever you can.”