School Holds Farewell For Retiring South Brunswick Educator

During Patricia Holliday’s early days in South Brunswick, there was a migrant preschool program for the children of farm workers.

Professional development was new - she held the first districtwide position as a staff developer.

And classrooms shared computers, as teachers and administrators worked to figure out how to incorporate that new technology into lesson plans.

During her more than 40 years in education, she has seen many changes, but according to her boss, one thing has stayed the same - her commitment to the district and its students.

“Pat Holliday has been our district’s memory and our conscience for over three decades,’’ said Jerry Jellig the district’s superintendent. “Pat is highly intelligent, but reminds us daily to lead with our hearts - what the mind complicates the heart clarifies. Pat always put children first, and anyone who worked with her, in her image did the same, so kids consistently won when in her care.”

She began teaching in 1973 in Brooklyn, New York.

Four years later, she moved to New Jersey, where she took a job in South Brunswick.

She has remained in the district until now. After more than 40 years in education, she is retiring as principal of Greenbrook School in South Brunswick.

“I’m really proud of the fact that I’ve been able to give back to this community and that the work I do really helps the children of this community and their families,’’ she said.

In retirement, she plans to enjoy more time with her family, watching her grandchildren grow. She has four grown children -- all are South Brunswick High School graduates, and all went on to earn college degrees. She also has five grandchildren, who range in age from 1- to 10-years-old.

But, she said, she knows she’ll miss the job.

“I will just miss the faces of the kids coming through the door each morning, ready to learn,’’ she said. “I’ll miss working with wonderful faculty of Greenbrook School -- the teachers are dedicated and they work so hard, so I will miss seeing them every day.”

She said she’ll also miss working with the community and parents.

“The opportunity to talk to parents and have them be a part of their children’s education has been very rewarding for me,’’ she said.

Over the years, she taught just about every grade between pre-k and sixth, along with basic skills and combined grade-classrooms.

For a time, Holliday also worked as the director of the migrant preschool program, which ran from spring to fall and provided services for the children of migrant workers in the days when South Brunswick was filled with farmland.

In 1986, she moved out of the classroom to become the first staff developer for the district (a position now known as director of professional development.)

“It was very exciting times, and very wonderful to be looking at the district as a whole and trying or create opportunities for other teachers to learn - it’s such an important part of our work,’’ she said.

During that time, she also returned to the other side of the desk, earning her principal certification and master’s degree in administration at Rider University.

In 1990, she received her first principalship at what was then known as the Deans and Dayton School.

Then, in the 1992-93 school year, she moved to her current post at the Greenbrook School.

Over the years, it has been fascinating to watch the way technology has been incorporated into the school day, she said.

“It’s very expensive, and in the olden days, districts were afraid to (invest) lots of money,’’ Holliday said.

Schools initially only had a handful of computers that were shared. Now, there are banks of computers in classrooms and tech labs in the schools.

Her advice to new teachers: Be flexible and willing to learn new things.

“Nobody thinks education is an easy (job),’’ she said. “It’s not a 9 to 3, September to June job. It is pretty demanding, and it’s work that requires thinking and feeling people. ...Know that this is important career and not for fainthearted.”

Photos courtesy Greenbrook School; farewell assembly at Greenbrook School for Pat Holliday