Among the scores of employees resigning from the this year is a longtime administrator whom Superintendent Bill Gretzula calls the district's “matriarch.”
Ann Marie Klibert, director of pupil personnel, will retire this summer after 38 years with the district.
“I grew up here basically,” the Scranton native said in a recent interview. “I was single, I got married and I had children. Most everyone knows me.”
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“It's very hard to retire,” she continued. “I'm going to miss the people I worked with for big chunks of our lives. I start at 7 in the morning and we're here some nights very late. I spend more time here than I do with my family.”
Education is a family thing for Klibert, whose mother was a teacher and whose father was a principal and superintendent.
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“I had every intention of teaching math but while I was student teaching I called my dad and said 'My students are not as interested in math as I am and they have so many problems. I think I'll go to graduate school for psychology,'” she said.
Klibert started as a school psychologist in Bensalem in 1974 and remained in that role for 23 years until moving into her current position in 1997. In her administrative role, she oversees counselors, nurses and social workers along with programs for students who learn from home. Her other responsibilities include the mental health team and the teen pregnancy/parenting program, New Beginnings. In addition, she's been in charge of the annual update of the student handbook for the last decade.
“We think of her as the matriarch of this organization,” said Gretzula. “In her departure, we lose incredible institutional knowledge as well as her grace in dealing with day-to-day operations. She has been a source of inspiration and guidance for many of our leaders including me. We think of her as an emotional barometer along with Bob Cardillo (human resources director).”
Despite the retirement decision being a tough one, the 61-year-old Klibert says she is looking forward to retirement, with more reading, sewing and time with friends on her personal docket.
One of her two daughters is getting married in June and then Klibert and her husband plan to spend the month of September at the shore “decompressing.” After that, there's a longer vacation planned in Florida.
“I hate the cold,” said the Morrisville resident.
While Gretzula is worried about losing many employees with the kind of institutional knowledge Klibert holds, she is optimistic of the district's future.
“I took sabbaticals the last two springs and we had a wonderful social worker fill in for me. She brings youth and enthusiasm and knowledge to a district that is moving forward. I would feel real comfortable if someone with that enthusiasm took my place,” Klibert said.
“With youth comes energy and new ideas,” she added.
