Typist clerk Cathleen Myers has served the Lynbrook district for 42 years and will depart from LHS this June. Myers is a friendly face many students encounter at least once over the course of their academic careers, most commonly to sign off on their working papers. She is an “Owl Proud” resident and mother of two alums: Christopher (Class of 1994) and Aileen (Class of 1995).
Joining the district in 1982, Myers started out as a monitor and teacher’s aid at LHS for several years. Originally from Freeport, Myers moved to Lynbrook with her late husband, Bill, who was also an alum (Class of 1961) and served the Lynbrook Volunteer Fire Department Engine Company #1. In high school, Myers gravitated towards courses involved in the business world: bookkeeping, accounting, and typing, prompting her to pursue a career as a secretary. She went on to take courses earning her college credit through Nassau Community College as a mother while her children were also in school. However, she soon realized this was not the best fit for her, and when opportunities presented themselves to work in the district, she took them on.
Myers took civil service exams to earn the qualifications for the positions of clerk typist and senior library clerk at LHS. At the time, she had already been executing the latter position at the district’s administration building for two years. Now as typist clerk within LHS’s main office, Myers has many duties to fulfill in her position: filling out students’ working papers, answering the phone, helping and directing parents’ inquiries or concerns, reviewing Principal Matthew Sarosy’s weekly report, and occasionally helping in the attendance office. “I also make sure purchase orders issued by the heads of the English, science, mathematics, and social studies departments are sent out and processed,” she added.
Myers reminisced about her days as a teacher’s aid: “I used to work a lot of sports events, and I loved going to the football games. We would have cancer walks at Jones Beach. I still love doing the SATs. Working with the special education kids, I loved doing it!” she said excitedly. “I would have to read the tests, and you read it as many times as a kid needs it. And I [have] always felt that everybody learns a different way, and you gotta know that,” she added. Meyers went on to share that when she worked with other teacher aids, they would read and act out stories. “[When we read Of Mice and Men], I’d wear a cowboy hat and tie [a handkerchief around] my neck. I’d be Lenny,” she said enthusiastically. Other works of literature she recalled reading were A Streetcar Named Desire, where she performed the role of Blanche DuBois, and her most favorite of all: To Kill a Mockingbird. “Every year, we’d read it, and I loved it so much, especially Gregory Peck as the lawyer, Atticus Finch. I named my cat after him,” Myers revealed.
Special education teacher Kristen Burke has known Myers since she started in the district over 20 years ago. Burke fondly recalled, “Mrs. Myers was present during my demo lesson as a teacher aide during my interview process back in 2002. I’ll never forget how nice she was when I walked into the classroom. I was so nervous, and she was so kind and welcoming.” Burke shared that Myers continues to have a witty sense of humor and noted, “The students loved her because she was also fun to be around.”
When asked about her retirement plans, Myers asserted, “I want to stay busy; if you don’t stay busy, there’s gonna be a problem.” She aims to clean up around her home, go to the pool and beach, go on walks, and do volunteer work. Myers shared that she has strong aspirations to volunteer at the Lynbrook Library. “I would like to read to the kids during story hour because when I read to my children when they were little, I would act it out, change my voice. I love doing that. To me, reading is important,” she explained.
She also spoke about a certain task she wishes to undertake this summer: “My sister has lost some of her hearing – she’s totally deaf in one ear – and she wears a hearing aid. So I said to her maybe I’ll take a sign language course. [My sister said], ‘Well, what good is it going to do for me if I don’t know sign language?’ I said, ‘Well, I’ll learn it and teach it to you.’” Doing so may end up being very useful for a special trip she plans to take in September to Ireland. Myers, her sister, her brother-in-law, and her 94-year-old mom will embark on a 10-day trip to Ireland to visit some distant relatives. She jokingly pointed out that while students are returning to school in September, she will be on the next flight out.
Myers has happily chosen to retire at 75-years-old after serving the district for more than four decades. “Mrs. Myers is one of the few members of the high school staff who was here when I was a student, so she will always hold a very special place in my heart. I wish her health and happiness in her retirement. I know she is looking forward to spending time with her kids and grandkids, and she has a very special trip to Ireland planned with her sister and her mother. I hope she has the time of her life,” Assistant Principal Sal Brescia commented.
Myers will be deeply missed by many faculty members, especially her main office crew. LHS is thankful for her years of service and wishes her an owl-tastic retirement.
