For the Jamestown Public Schools District superintendent, he was simply following a moral compass.

While having three decades of building a resume in education, Apthorpe openly admits the last three school years serving as the JPS superintendent have been his favorite and the “highlight” of his career — one that will end this month.

“It has been the best three years of my career,” Apthorpe said. “I have been blessed with working with a community of leaders, both in the school and outside the school, who are kindred spirits. They are all in for the community. They’re not in it for themselves. They’re not in it to be competitive. They all want the same, common positive outcome.”

In retirement, he said will be able to see his children and his wife much more. Additionally, Apthorpe said he will finish a book about the authentic replica of The Sea Lion, a 16th Century English 63-foot-long ship, that was built on Chautauqua Lake in Mayville.

For more than 30 years, Dr. Bret Apthorpe, Jamestown Public Schools superintendent, has been in the education profession. He said the last three years, at JPS, have been his favorite. “It has been the best three years of my career,” said Apthorpe, who is retiring this month. P-J file photo

Earlier this year, the Mayville native said the idea of retiring clicked and he told JPS school board president Paul Abbott of his intention to retire.

“We wish Dr. Apthorpe was staying. However, we understand and support his decision,” Abbott said at the time. “Dr. Apthorpe has made many improvements during his tenure and has also guided us through some challenging events. Knowing Dr. Apthorpe, I am confident he will be 100% committed to continuing to help us move closer to our goals as a district right up to his last day with us, and even beyond. Although this may not be the scenario any of us would have drawn up, we should all view this as an opportunity and an exciting time. It is an exciting time for Dr. Apthorpe as he moves into a new, hopefully more relaxed phase of his life, but it is also an exciting time and an opportunity for Jamestown Public Schools.”

Following a search, Kevin Whitaker was recently named the next superintendent of the school district.

With what would have been a potential victory lap for his career turned into dealing with COVID-19 and all it entailed. That included closing schools and pushing students to learn in an online and at-home format.

“It’s a strange time for everybody,” Apthopre said. “I thought I’d seen it all in my last superintendency when I was the superintendent at Frontier we had 6 feet of snowfall on my school district and I was snowed into my office for four days.”

For more than 30 years, Dr. Bret Apthorpe, Jamestown Public Schools superintendent, has been in the education profession. He said the last three years, at JPS, have been his favorite. “It has been the best three years of my career,” said Apthorpe, who is retiring this month. P-J file photo

He previously believed that snowy, 2014 event would stand out in his career experiences. Now, however, the impacts of coronavirus have superseded the “Snowvember” storm in his rankings.

Before joining the Frontier Central School District, Apthorpe was the assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction at the Fairport Central School District.

Apthorpe’s first teaching gig was in the town of Cattaraugus in 1987 in the school district that is now Cattaraugus-Little Valley.

Prior to that, Apthorpe was a director of technology for Fairport and director of instructional technology for Monroe 1BOCES. He has also been a senior high school assistant principal for Churchville-Chili Central School District and was a 7-12 social studies teacher for 12 years at Southwestern Central School District and Honeoye Falls-Lima Central School District.

Apthorpe, who was born and raised in Mayville, attended the University at Buffalo earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in history and education. He attended SUNY Fredonia, graduating with a Master of Science degree in elementary education. Apthorpe furthered his studies at SUNY Brockport acquiring a certificate of advanced study in educational administration. Finally, Apthorpe holds a Doctorate of Education degree in educational leadership from the University of Rochester.

For more than 30 years, Dr. Bret Apthorpe, Jamestown Public Schools superintendent, has been in the education profession. He said the last three years, at JPS, have been his favorite. “It has been the best three years of my career,” said Apthorpe, who is retiring this month. P-J file photo

At Mayville High School, before a merger that formed the Chautauqua Lake Central School District, Apthorpe admired a social studies teacher named Joe Coats. He said Coats, who was also a coach similar to Apthorpe later on, had a great influence on his career path.

Asked if he could have potentially had a career in another field, Apthorpe said, “I don’t think so.”

However, he did not see himself becoming an administrator in his first 12 years teaching. But through his experience in an early “paperless” classroom using computers and the Internet about 20 years ago, Apthorpe realized the power of the newest technology, and through an administrative position he thought he could expand his and its impact.

“It goes by fast. It goes by fast,” Apthorpe said of his career and his college days.

Apthorpe said returning to Jamestown was a natural way to end his career where he was close to family and his beginnings.

During the pandemic, Apthorpe strived to keep students and parents informed. He turned to holding popular weekly Facebook Live sessions.

The outgoing superintendent said he worries what impact the closure will have on some students.

“I’m very concerned about the mental health of our kids and the mental health of our homes,” Apthorpe said. “The kids, they’d look to their teachers and their schools to kind of gage how they should feel about these things. If they sense fear, the kids will feel fear. If they sense anxiousness over the unknown, then the child will feel anxious over the unknown.”

Separate from ongoing concerns, Apthorpe said it’s common in Western New York and Chautauqua County to believe the community and the school districts cannot accomplish great tasks. He described this as being “prisoners of our paradigms.” However, Apthorpe believes the opposite and hopes the sentiment, “We can be exactly who we want to be,” resonates with the community long after he retires.

As for why he stuck around in the educational field so long, Apthorpe said he wouldn’t have had it any other way.

“If you have a moral compass and you courageously follow your moral compass, there is no better job in the world than in education,” Apthorpe said. “Particularly in communities that have so many disenfranchised kids. Championing those kids, believing in those kids and bringing forth expectations of achievement for those kids, it just fills your moral bucket and it feels terrific. You go home at night and you feel good about what you’ve done that day.”

Apthorpe said when he sits down to spend time with his family and to write his book, he’ll look back and feel good about his time in Jamestown where he concluded his journey following his moral compass.