SAYREVILLE – Two longtime teachers in the Sayreville School District are retiring from their positions.
During a meeting on Feb. 5, the Board of Education honored the retirements of Mary Elizabeth Comerford, a third grade teacher at the Emma L. Arleth Elementary School, and Eileen Truchan, a sixth grade mathematics teacher at Sayreville Middle School.
Both of their retirements will become effective at the end of the 2019-20 school year on July 1.
“There is no point to count the years,” Superintendent of Schools Richard Labbe said in reference to Comerford. “They are not important. Important are the things you did and the things we shall never forget that Mary Beth has done for the Arleth school and our district. ‘Arleth Cares’ is Arleth’s motto and that all started with Mrs. Comerford. Many years ago, Mary came up with that slogan and was certainly the face behind it.
“For many years, Mary has led numerous other amounts of food drives at Arleth that have helped many,” he continued. “She’s worked tirelessly and diligently to get children interested in helping the community and teaching them how they, too, could make a difference. This a lesson that goes beyond the classroom and one that will mold these young individuals as they become adults.
“Mrs. Comerford has been a mentor, a colleague and, most importantly, a friend to everyone at Arleth. She is always the first to lend a helping hand or to give some helpful advice to a new teacher. To say that she will be missed is a very large understatement.”
Truchan has taught in the district for 12 years, according to the superintendent.
“She has always had a positive, warm tone with her students, as well as her colleagues,” Labbe said. “Mrs. Truchan participated in the math and science partnership program through Middlesex County College in 2012. While exchanging ideas with teachers at other grade levels from other schools, she contributed much to that program and brought back much of what she learned back to the middle school.
“Eileen has always been well-organized and has supported our students in great depths with regard to mathematics instruction. She has been a tutor for the Sayreville Middle School before and after school academies and enjoys every aspect of school pride at the middle school. Mrs. Truchan enjoyed chaperoning many school functions and is a true Sayreville Bomber. You could find her at the Sayreville Bomber football, basketball and baseball games over her time here in Sayreville.
“Eileen and her husband plan to travel and will be looking forward to spending time with their first grandchild. Needless to say, Mrs. Eileen Truchan has much to look forward to in her retirement years. She has added a great deal to the middle school staff and to the students whom she has taught so well,” Labbe said.