Rome wasn’t built in a day, but Dean of Students Greg Zannelli’s tardy cart was.
“I built it in one day with scrap lumber,” Zannelli said.
As the school year begins and the season of handing out late passes resumes, Zannelli has rolled out his latest creation: a custom-built tardy pass kiosk on wheels.
The wooden podium features storage compartments, smooth-rolling casters and a timer set for the four-minute passing periods. Zannelli designed the cart to accelerate the process of giving out passes and to let students know how much time they have to get to class.
While the tardy cart may be students’ first glimpse into their dean’s building skills, Zannelli began over two decades ago when he bought his first home. “When I first started teaching, way back in 2001,” he said. “I’m self taught through trial and error, and there were a lot of errors early on. A lot of mistakes.”
His notable creations, often inspired by his sons Obi and Luke, include a two-story barn, a half-scale bowling alley, a treehouse, a skate ramp and remodeled basements of his three homes.
Students and teachers have noticed his craftsmanship, “I’ve got nothing but positive comments,” Zannelli said. “However, one student said I looked like an evil dictator.”
Sophomore Dayton Clarke noted the cart’s personal touch. “Instead of running after kids, he can roll around the school with that cart that says Z on it. It’s very fantastic and nice,”
“If I wanted somebody to build something with me, I definitely would ask Mr. Zannelli,” Clarke said.
Zannelli said that he’s open to collaborating with students on future projects.
Said Zannelli, “If a student came to me with an idea, I’d love to facilitate that. I’d like to hear some ideas.”
