Longtime Brewster Educator Dies at 69

Natalie McKenna, a former reading teacher and principal, died over the weekend.

According to a report in Seacoastonline.com, McKenna, 69, passed away while in the company of family at the Bailey Family Center for Caring in St. Augustine, FL. 

McKenna was born in Manhattan and later grew up in Carmel, the report states. She is survived by her husband of 20 years, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL resident J. Bruce McKenna, as well as three sons, her mother, a brother and seven grandchildren.

Board of Education Trustee Alberta Kozma remarked on McKenna's passing at a meeting earlier this week, when she said that the district has lost a "wonderful educator," and a "dear and sweet person."

Afterward, Kozma spoke to Patch, and estimated that McKenna had retired from the district roughly a decade ago. She recalled her committment to an initiative the district employed for more than 15 years. It was called the Ungraded Primary Program, and it aimed to help students transition from kindergarten to first grade. Often times, those students are academically-able, but not quite ready in other respects, to move up.

"She had a strong developmental philosophy for kids, and she brought it to whatever she did."

According to the report, private funeral services will be held at a later date. Click here to read more about McKenna, and view the comments folks have left in her memory.