If one knows Lynbrook, he/she knows Mary Kirby. The ubiquitous English teacher has begun her 25th year as an educator and her 25th year as a member of the Lynbrook Schools staff. Kirby attended LHS as a student herself and graduated in 1991, later returning as a student teacher in 1997. She recently took on the position of English department chairperson and said she hopes to “bring some sunshine to the department.”

As chairperson, Kirby supervises all English teachers for grades 6-12, so her jurisdiction now goes beyond the high school and extends to both North and South Middle School. She continues to teach three English classes, as well. Her primary role for the commencement of the school year is to secure classroom materials such as novels. She is rolling out several new curriculum changes to be implemented this year, including an expansion of student choice and representation in literary works.

Kirby has taught every grade in LHS (9-12), in addition to a seventh-grade class. Her vast knowledge of the curriculum for all grade levels has been a valuable asset so far in her new role as chairperson. As the previous director of Summer Playground and the current director of the Teacher Center — where she curates professional development courses and facilitates staff workshops — Kirby also has experience in an administrative role.

Despite Kirby’s rich professional background, she said that she is a firm believer in the power of teamwork and could not do the English department justice without the help of her fellow teachers; each member of the department, Kirby explained, utilizes his/her unique experience and skill to further the mission of affecting positive change in the Lynbrook schools.

“I am very fortunate to have an incredibly seasoned, talented department with enormous expertise on all grade levels,” she said. “Everything is a team effort.”

The proposition to increase student participation in reading choice was posed to the Board of Education (BOE) last year by a committee of English teachers in the district. Their goal is to garner greater enthusiasm about reading by allowing students to select books on topics of their own interest.

Students will be able to choose from a list of pre-curated works, selected by the English department and approved by the BOE for their ability to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion. Each grade level has a different theme: “Coming of Age,” grade 9; “Empathy,” grade 10; “Cultural Awareness,” grade 11; and “Identity,” grade 12.

“In order to know what it’s like to walk in someone else’s shoes, students need to be exposed to different experiences, backgrounds, and cultures,” Kirby said. “We are building empathy, connections, and understanding.”

 Senior Mia Tetelman said she thinks this curriculum reform will produce positive results and give students a new perspective. “It will give us insight on someone else’s background, story, and culture, and it will be refreshing to be able to choose a book for myself,” Tetelman said.

This program will be an addition to the traditional book selection, including classic works by William Shakespeare, Ray Bradbury, John Steinbeck, and Harper Lee. “These novels are still in our classrooms today because they touch on conflict and relationships and emotions,” Kirby explained. “That in itself is exposing us to something new and making us better than we are today. That’s timeless.”

English teacher Jill Garfunkel was a member of the committee that presented titles to the BOE. She said that it took them an entire year to investigate and choose culturally relevant book titles for the student body to read. Garfunkel is a great proponent of increasing student choice, as she believes that it fosters a love for reading. 

“I think that it is really important that our students see versions of themselves in the major protagonists that they meet,” Garfunkel said. “It sounds simple, but literature is a reflection of ourselves and the society in which we live. This mirror can be the key to a more peaceful and happy existence,” she added.