SAYREVILLE – After nearly three decades of service to the Sayreville School District, the confidential secretary to the superintendent of schools is retiring from her position.
The retirement of Maureen Proudman became effective at the start of the 2019-20 school year, July 1. The Board of Education honored her retirement at a recent meeting.
According to Superintendent of Schools Richard Labbe, Proudman has worked in the district for close to 30 years. She began as a cafeteria worker, then became a secretary before becoming the confidential secretary to Labbe and his predecessor, Frank Alfano.
“Not only is Maureen an incredibly proficient administrative assistant, she’s also one of the most proficient people I know with regard to human resources,” Labbe said. “She is well-versed in the Department of Education regulations, particularly in the area of certification, and was an incredible help to me while I was serving as both superintendent and director of human resources. Moreover, Maureen is probably one of the most caring, personable people I’ve ever met and one of the most loyal people whom I’ve ever had the privilege and honor to be around.
“From the moment I came here to Sayreville, I was always greeted each morning with an incredible smile as she rocked out to Ozzy Osbourne and some of the other tunes that came out of her radio,” he said. “People used to love coming to my office, not to see me, but to talk to Maureen and listen to the great rock and roll music that she listened to in the morning. And she sang very loudly, too. She was an incredible secretary, confidant and friend, and someone who I will not only miss incredibly. I already miss her.”
The superintendent mentioned that Proudman is taking care of her husband, who was involved in a serious accident.
“There’s not a day that goes by that I do not think of Maureen,” Labbe continued. “And there’s not a day that goes by where I will not miss Maureen as she pursues the next chapter of her life as she should, with her husband. Many times when you experience tragedy like that, you come to the realization that life is very short and it’s very fragile. And you need to make the very best out of every moment. She is someone who has given 150 percent of herself, nothing but the very best of herself, for each person she has worked with. Each superintendent, the cafeteria and of course, the students and the staff members of the Sayreville Public Schools.”
Following the superintendent’s comments, board President Kevin Ciak said, “Just as Maureen was your [Labbe’s] confidential secretary, during my time as board president, I also worked very closely with Maureen. Every time you walk into the office, she always had a smile. She was always happy to see you. You could see it when you walked in, you could see it when she answered the phone, you could feel it when she answered the phone. Her genuine warmth always shined through. And truly a phenomenal resource to the students here in Sayreville through her service to the superintendent as well as the members of the Sayreville Board of Education.”