Page 4 - Summer 2018_Final 3

Volume 39, Issue 4 EBEA Newsletter Page 4

BARBARA ALEXANDER: ADMINISTRATION MARY ANTONISON: CHURCHILL SECRETARY
SECRETARY Mary Antonison has been a staple in the East
Barbara Alexander has been the glue who held Brunswick Public Schools for 22 years. Mary began her
together the World Language and ESL department for career at Memorial school, greeting the students and
nearly 20 years. Ms. Alexander is highly organized, staff each day, always with a warm smile and a kind
trustworthy, and helpful. She has been responsible for word. She has an amazing knack for remembering the
ensuring the smooth flow of all things ESL and world smallest detail about each person she meets, and
language. East Brunswick students have benefited from making people feel special because of that. In 2000,
her years of attention to detail! She has been willing to Mary became the office secretary. Her colleagues refer
learn IFAS, Genesis, Outlook, Word, Google Docs, to her as “Memorial’s Guardian Angel,” and the heart
Google Spreadsheets, Performance Matters, OnCourse, of the school. They fondly remember the silly
Moodle, SchoolDude, StaffApps and more! Ms. decorations on her desk and her organizing
Alexander has been a valued member of the EB team! extravagant events with food, gifts and prizes - for no
other reason than to do something special for the staff.
If you have ever seen her office space, you will quickly
learn her greatest source of pride. The Alexander She was adored by students and parents for her
family...now families! There are pictures of her nurturing and sunny personality. As PTA president
Mary would always make sure that staff felt
husband and their children and spouses. Most precious
are her six grandchildren: Emma (4 years 8 months), appreciated and would jump up to help anyone in
need. She was a wonderful colleague and friend and
Duke (2 years 6 months), Stephen (6 ½ months), Avery
(1 year), Cooper (3 years 7 months), and Joey (7 years 9 was sorely missed when she left Memorial.
months)! You will see parties, graduations, weddings, After leaving Memorial, Mary joined Churchill as a
holidays that portray laughter and love. And what’s a secretary, first in the nurses’ office, then splitting her
good family celebration without food? Ms. Alexander time in the media center. Wearing two hats, she
has some key recipes that the team in administration continued spreading sunshine in both roles and loved
has also been able to enjoy. She has the best to see students from Memorial all grown up at
bruschetta recipe ever! Another specialty is her Churchill. Her genuine affection for the students was
avocado egg salad with a kick! always apparent. Each morning, the circulation desk
was surrounded by Mary’s fan club - a cohort of
The EB community is thankful and we wish her all the
best in her retirement. students who wanted to start their day just by saying
hello, or sharing a joke that was sure to get a big laugh
Danke! ¡Gracias! Grazie! Thank you! Merci! 谢谢 from Miss Mary. The students weren’t the only ones
who benefitted from knowing Mary. Mary would
always be able to help staff locate that book or
resource from a different library that our media center
just didn’t have. She enjoyed scavenger hunts in the
library; seeking out misplaced books, making sure
books were put back in their respective genres and
ensuring that students would always leave the library
with a book and smelly bookmark in hand. Her
kindness, generosity and heart are unmatched and are
missed every single day by her friends at Churchill. In
the words of a coworker, “you made me happy every
time I went into the Media Center. You told me I
sparkled but it was your effervescent spirit that made
coming to work fun. Always quick to appreciate us, you
taught us how to celebrate all the things big and small
in our lives. I don't know how we're going to sparkle
without you. We'll miss you and try to keep your
sharing spirit continuing in your honor! Much love,
health & joy in retirement!”