SAYREVILLE – The Sayreville Board of Education recognized a longtime language arts teacher who will retire at the end of the school year after more than two decades with the district.
Linda Jakubik-Tanchyk, a language arts teacher at Sayreville War Memorial High School and a member of the district since 1993, will retire at the end of the 2017-18 school year, effective July 1. The board honored her retirement at a meeting on March 6.
“I may get choked up because I can’t believe this person is actually going to leave us, but we also wish her the absolute best,” Superintendent of Schools Richard Labbe said before delivering remarks on Jakubik-Tanchyk’s service.
“Outstanding teachers are described as those who connect with their students, empower their students to succeed outside the classroom and create a learning environment where their students can thrive,” Labbe said. “Linda is the epitome of an outstanding educator. In fact, she is the consummate educator.
“Mrs. Jakubik-Tanchyk has worked with every level of students at SWMHS,” he continued. She has been an amazing advocate for all of them and it is not unusual for students to turn to her for advice in all aspects of their lives. Our outstanding graduation at the high school is in part because of Mrs. Jakubik-Tanchyk.”
Labbe also praised Jakubik-Tanchyk’s service as a teacher and noted all of her students will graduate this year, including those who did not pass their PARCC (Partnership for Assessment of Readiness of College and Careers) exam in language arts.
“On a personal note, Linda is by far one of the most amazing and best teachers that I’ve ever had the opportunity to work alongside of,” the superintendent said. “In education, we often talk about teachers that have this incredibly innate talent. The moment you meet Linda, you recognize that she’s just got that something that you can’t put your finger on. She was born to be an educator. Moreover, she was born to be the absolute best of educators.
“She has this way of being tender and being tough. She has this way of taking students [who] are the most protective, hide beneath these protective shells and do not want to try because they’re in fear that if they try hard and they fail, it’ll hurt far more than if they give a little effort and fail. She gets them out of that shell. Not only does she get them to try, she ensures that they succeed and no better proof of this is the fact that this year, every single child in her classroom [who] did not pass the PARCC language arts will be graduating this year because they passed an alternative assessment: 100 percent success rate for a 100 percent amazing teacher.
Labbe said to say Jakubik-Tanchyk will sorely missed is an understatement.
“Nevertheless, all we can do is just cherish the fact that we had the opportunity to work with her for the many years that you [the board members] have and the several years that I have, and be able to continue to use her as that model of excellence that we would like all of our teachers to somehow and sometime reach.”
Labbe concluded his remarks by playing a video in recognition of Jakubik-Tanchyk.
“When I do my opening presentations, she has always been my first provider of videos and she always has this way of finding videos that promote a cathartic experience for all those who actually witness them,” he said. “So we have one for her now as she leaves us.”
Fellow board members also spoke highly of Jakubik-Tanchyk.
“Linda always taught here and lived her life in that ‘it makes a difference to this one’ and she truly cares about her students, she cares about the school district,” Board President Kevin Ciak said. “No matter who you are when you meet her, she makes a difference in your life and you never forget her. She’s an incredible individual.”
“I have to say something about Linda who was a dear colleague and a very good friend,” Lucy Bloom said. “I will never forget when she became involved in the union and she became just as passionate about things as I was. One day, she looked at me and she said ‘I don’t agree with you, but I’m still your friend.’ And she was always my friend and she always will be.”
“I can remember in junior high receiving instruction from Linda Jakubik-Tanchyk,” Karen Rubio said. “And she’s been a dear friend for many years.”
“I also had the good fortune to work with Linda,” John Walsh said. “She displayed [kindness and empathy] every day as a teacher. I think she greeted me on my first day teaching. When I had my children, she was the first one with a photo frame and a poem inside it. She just made your day every day. I was really lucky to be around her.”