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The accident happened on Friday, Nov. 27, around 7:30 p.m. at the corner of Kettletown and Southford Roads in Southbury.
Mark Kibby of Granby, 52, of Granby, the assistant principal at CREC Academy of Aerospace and Engineering Elementary School in Rocky Hill, was reportedly riding his motorcycle when he died.
Kibby is survived by his wife, who teaches in the Granby Public School system, his 22-year-old son Owen and his 19-year-old son Ben.
Kibby's motorcycle was struck by a commercial vehicle driving down Southford Road, ejecting Kibby from his bike, said State Police. He was taken to St. Mary's Hospital by paramedics, police said, where he was pronounced dead.
"Mark was a responsive leader whose sense of humor and compassion helped to bring people together," wrote Principal Gayle Hills on the school's Facebook page. "His passing is a loss for the school as well as the larger community."
"Mr. Kibby instilled in me an adoration of the written word that grew roots through every corner of my heart. He believed in his students, in a way that put gale winds beneath a timid 12-year-old's wings," wrote former student Lily Garcia in a Facebook post. "I have learned so many grand life lessons from you that I still carry with me today. You taught in a way that rattled who I was as a person to my very core; in a way that changed me and so many others for the better. You were the first educator in my life who really made me believe that I could make a difference in the world."
Previously, Kibby served as a teacher at CREC Reggio School of the Arts and the CREC Aerospace Middle School.
Any students who need additional support can call Carole Kerkin, the director of Pupil Services, at (860) 729-9088. Zoom counseling was made available to students on Monday, Nov. 30 from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m.
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