Anyone who reads this blog knows I am not a fan of any administrator, but I want to make an exception here and pay tribute to one of the last great ones, Joyce Prenner, an AP in charge of the history department who just passed away.Joyce was a no nonsense woman and truth be told, I did not like her much when I first met her. Proctoring regents in her department was always a chore because of all her rules, but I soon realized her rules were what made proctoring in her department so easy. There were always clear and concise instructions. Envelopes were always complete and there was always someone around to answer questions.
I never worked directly for Joyce, so I can't attest to what it was like to be a member of her department, but I know from people in her department that she was truly a master teacher, someone who knew her subject and knew how to teach and to help her teachers become better teachers.
I did get to know Joyce well when I began teaching College Now classes as she was the liaison between the school and the college. She took care of business efficiently, made sure the teachers in the high school had everything they needed from the college and made sure the college got what they needed from the teachers. She stood up for us when necessary.
Joyce saw through the nonsense in school. I often went to her to discuss problems I was having with my own AP and she lent a sympathetic ear. She reminded me of my worth and my own competence and I could see her feelings on the subject clearly yet she never said a bad word about him.
I know there are some who don't share the admiration I have for this woman, but I hope they can look past their feelings and see the bright, competent person she was. I wish the administrators of today, the ones with almost zero teaching experience could learn from her. I never wanted to be an administrator because I knew I was not nearly as smart as the administrators of Joyce's era. It is a shame that today's teachers have no role models like her.
RIP Joyce Prenner. You certainly deserve it for the job you did here on earth.
2 comments:
I too admired and respected this woman whom we were privileged to work alongside with for many years. Not only was Joyce a competent administrator, but she was a leader and a scholar as well. Moreover, she was a true educator, not just a mere manager as many administrators are now. She made a real difference in the lives of both those fortunate to work with her and the children who were students while she was the leader of the history department. RIP to Ms. Prenner, who was a fighter to the end. She will be missed. Thank you, PO'd, for this heartfelt tribute.
Thank you Ms. PO'd for reminding us about Joyce. I too worked with her and found her to be a true leader. I loved proctoring her exams. I felt safe and and ease! Most of all I remember Joyce as being a "classy" person. She was admired for her knowledge and professionalism. She will be missed by many as she touched the lives of teachers as well as countless students.
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