Mrs. Maureen O’Callaghan is a special needs teacher who has been helping kids in high school for many years. During her time here at Lenape, she has found her job to be very rewarding, stating that her favorite part of her job was teaching high schoolers with disabilities how to read. She never had a least favorite part of her job, because she was given the opportunity to do many different things throughout her career. Mrs. O’Callaghan feels that she has formed a special bond with her students while working with them, which she believes to be the most important part of being a teacher. For children, especially those who require more help than others, finding someone who care about them is the best thing that can happen, and Mrs. O’Callaghan is that someone.

In addition to the love of her students, Mrs. O’Callaghan received the Crystal Apple Award, which she remembers as her favorite memory from her time here. She recalled that it was one of the nicest awards she had ever gotten, because one of her students nominated her for it, giving it so much more meaning. Also, her own son was at Lenape with her the past four years, making it that much more enjoyable for her. She told me that she is passionate about working with students with special needs, and feels strongly about being an advocate and a voice for them, something she is really proud of. When asked if she had any advice for her replacement, she simply said, “Good luck with the new schedule.” She believes that it distanced her from her students, and might make them feel disconnected and confused.

Finally, Mrs. O’Callaghan believes that, if she was given the chance to start over, she wouldn’t do anything different, that she did her best for her students and is ready for the next phase of her life. As for her plans after retirement, she is unsure. She said with a smile that she will be moving to Myrtle Beach and is looking forward to attempting to golf on every golf course in her area, maybe taking up tutoring as well, or part-time work.