Concord High School Principal Reveals Health Condition

Getting a letter in the middle of the summer from a school official is a bit of an anomaly and Concord High School Principal Gene Connolly noted as such, opening a letter to the CHS community on July 30, with a note that while he was sharing “unfortunate news,” he hoped everyone was having an enjoyable and relaxing summer.

Connolly stated that earlier this spring, he noticed that his speech was off and wasn’t pronouncing words very clearly. He decided, after 12 years at the school, to keep his public speaking to a minimum at events, such as graduation. But when his speech didn’t improve, he went to his doctor to find out what was wrong. After meeting with a number of specialists, including a neurologist, Connolly found out that he had Amyotropic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) or Lou Gehrig’s disease. Other specialists confirmed the diagnoses, too, he noted in the letter.

“I have known many of you for years, and I feel that it is important to let you know what I am dealing with and why my speech may be a bit different,” he stated. “I have always been honored to be part of the Crimson Tide community, and proud of the exceptional work we do at Concord High School.”

Connolly added that he loved his job and would “continue to work and be a part of this great community for as long as I possibly can.” He said that he was eager to “continue our work of building a vibrant school community.”