Bob Leahy

On September 22, 2019, I became Bob Leahy, Ed.D. (Dr. Bob, Doctor of Education Leadership). Eight days later, I retired from the US Department of Veterans Affairs. Decided no more working full-time.

Latest (8/13/2021):

Not even six months into my retirement, I came down with mild Covid the first week of March 2020 (before testing was available). I was exposed to it by a medical professional (whose daughter goes to Fremd) the last week of February. The last time I saw him, he thought his allergies had kicked in high gear (he was masked). He ended up with the full-blown Covid version including intubation and 54 days in the hospital.

It was discovered I had the antibodies in August 2020 (confirming I actually had Covid). Having survived Covid, I decided to help out our alma mater. I signed up to be a Substitute Teacher for District 211. I ended up substituting at Fremd, Palatine, Schaumburg, and Hoffman Estates (for some reason, Conant didn't come up). I was also a Monitor (hybrid mode) where I was supervising classes at the school with 1/2 the classes' students in-person and other half at home, and the teacher was teaching from home (they were in quarantine or had newborns at home). Halfway through the second semester, all students who wanted to return to 100% in-person were allowed back and those teachers teaching remotely returned to the classroom. I survived!

It's now the 2022 - 2023 school year and I am only substituting at Fremd and Palatine High Schools. I could work every school day (there's that a big of a need), but I am supposed to be retired. Besides, my retirements/pensions only allow me to make a limited amount before they want to take money back. And, "I ain't gonna do that"!

Personal History:

I enlisted in the US Army August 75 and served until August 78. Came back to IL and was in the Army Reserves until August 1999 when I first retired. I was called out of retirement to full active duty to support current operations in September of 2006 in a hot and sandy place where they didn't speak English very well...El Paso, TX. After three years I re-retired in 2009 and came back to IL.

In my civilian careers, I worked as an electronics technician/field service/technical support/service manager for about 20 years and have been a technical writer for 25 years (minus the three years the Army recalled me) until my 2019 retirement.

I was also a Reserve Deputy Sheriff (volunteer) in Lake County, IL for 15 years. I retired from that as the Chief of Reserves. I moved back to Palatine in 2002 after an 18 year absence and am a former volunteer (12 years) with the Palatine Emergency Management Agency (PEMA).

To prove my high school counselor wrong that I'd never get into college without a foreign language, I have an AS-Business Administration, BA-Liberal Arts, MSEd-Adult and Higher Education, EdS-Career & Technical Education, and an EdD-Leadership.

I was married for 24 years and have been divorced for 20. I have two daughters, one grandson and two granddaughters.

I was one of those who didn't fit in any of the groups...at least fully. I wasn't a "jock", but did play football. I wasn't a "geek", but was really interested in technology. I worked Audio/Visual (A/V) not only because of the equipment to play with, but it also gave me a "permanent hall pass" and master key to all the rooms.

I was supposed to go to the US Naval Academy in their Electrical Engineering program. I was originally accepted with a congressional nomination, sufficient grades, and letters of recommendation, but found out March of senior year I was rejected due to my eyesight. So I enlisted in the Army instead.

For a guy who was really an average student and not noted for anything in particular at school, I finally made my mark. In 2010, I was named Distinguished Graduate and now my plaque is on the wall-of-shame across from the auditorium that used to be the "smoking area."