Retiring Principal Made School Community Into A Family

For Pamela Longo, school is more than just learning how to read and write. For her school is about being a part of something that is bigger than the sum of its parts. It's about becoming a family.

Longo, a Wayne resident who has been principal of Pines Lake for nine years, is retiring in August.

"It's very bittersweet for me," Longo said. "Right now, it's sad as kids and parents come by the office and say goodbye."

Longo has a 42-year career in education. She knew she wanted to be a teacher when she was in the fourth grade. She started her career as a kindergarten teacher and taught every elementary school grade. She went on to become a language arts coordinator and assistant principal before taking the reins at Pines Lake.

"I've tried to make this atmosphere a family atmosphere so that parents feel comfortable when they come to school," Longo said. "I want the children to feel safe and that if something is wrong they know we'll help them."

Longo has seen a lot of changes in education throughout her career.

"The styles of parenting have changed and the children have changed because they are exposed to so many outside stimuli, which we have to monitor as educators because they can be negative but they can also be good too," Longo said.

Other, more sweeping changes, have originated from within in the classroom as well. The state of New Jersey is making all schools adopt the Common Core curriculum, something which Longo called "excellent," and the widespread use of standardized tests to measure academic performance is a common practice now.

"If I were here a couple of more years, I could really see how it all plays out. For the teachers to have your whole educational career put into a pie chart, I don't know about that," Longo said. "But the teachers here have never changed their work ethic the whole time I've been here."

Longo said she wants to continue to work in education. She might help mold a new generation of educators by teaching a college class.

Longo has taught her students the importance of giving back. She started the Kids Care Club some years back. The school also runs its own Relay for Life and the students regularly donate to various local and national charities.

Students filled the hallway with packbacks and school supplies for hurricane victims and gave to Habitat for Humanity. The school held a Turkey Trot fundraiser for St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital last November. The event was held in memory of a custodian who died suddenly.

Longo said she's going to miss her students most of all.

"There's an innocence and sweetness in elementary school. They'll tell you what they think and love giving hugs," Longo said as she wiped away tears. "I'm going to miss that terribly."

— Have a question or news tip? Contact editor Daniel Hubbard at Daniel.Hubbard@patch.com or find us on Facebook and Twitter. For news straight to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.