Pat was born in New York City and grew up in Princeton, NJ. She chose Penn State—where she earned a B.S. in Elementary and Special Education—because her favorite high school teacher was an alumnus. Her career with SCASD began in 1977 at Ferguson Township Elementary where she taught kindergarten. Between 1978 and 1995, she taught first grade (and second a couple of times!) at Easterly Parkway Elementary, earning her M.Ed. from Penn State in 1983 in Curriculum and Instruction. In 1995, she began teaching first grade at Corl Street Elementary where she taught until her retirement in 2021.
But Pat’s school days didn’t come to an end. “Although I immediately embraced the retirement life (I had a new grandchild), when August rolled around, I really longed to be back in the school environment,” Pat said. “Kindergarten teachers Jill Ross and Katie Shoemaker were more than willing to accommodate!”
Since retiring, she’s been serving Corl Street Elementary as a volunteer and a substitute teacher, and it’s no exaggeration to say she could write a book about her experiences. From picnics to fundraisers, from reading to guiding field trips, from planting gardens to shelving books (thousands of books!) in the library–her personal favorite. Every September she assembles over 250 Pinwheels for Peace (that the students have colored) to display on the front lawn of the school.
Thought Pat sought out other opportunities to volunteer, she ultimately landed “back home” at her “beloved Corl Street,” where she could continue to contribute to the warm and welcoming environment that teachers and Principal Kelly Mark create. She especially enjoys working with I “librarian extraordinaire,” Paije Davis, and paraprofessional Kim Corro, who welcome her into their workspace weekly.
Pat and her husband Daniel have been married for 40 years after meeting on a blind date. They have three daughters, all SCASD alumna (2006, 2007, 2011), who give them many opportunities to travel for visits. Samantha (2006) is a NYC props and set designer for theatre and film and teaches at City Tech University. Stephanie (2007) is a music teacher in Lancaster. She and her husband, Aaron (also a music teacher; they met in Blue Band!), have 5-year-old Caroline and 3-year-old Daniel. Suzie (2011) is a dermatology resident at the University of Michigan. She and her husband, David (an engineer at Ford), have 5-month-old Maxwell. Fun fact: there are FIVE Doodles in their family!
“I’m not the kind of person who can just enjoy staying at home. I was looking for a way to give back to the community and satisfy my continued need to do what I love…teach, be with children, make an impact,” Pat said.
“Because I view my time at Corl Street during retirement as something I do for myself and to give back to the school environment that gave me so much for almost 40 years, I never expected this nomination. It’s an especially meaningful honor since I fully support the endeavors of the Maroon & Gray Society. I am forever grateful and thankful to Paije Davis and Kelly Mark for this opportunity to share what I love to do! “