By Nicole Falco
"Whenever my parents came to a school function, Sister Elizabeth greeted them by name," said Jane Ryan, who was president of the Holy Name of Mary School Parents Club in the 1980s. "She knew they were there to see their grandchildren."
Another example, Sunny Creekmore, whose daughters Rachel and Jennifer attend the school, said it is not uncommon for Lynch to attend the wake or funeral of a student's family member. Creekmore added that Lynch is always asking how her father-in-law is doing.
Among Lynch's favorite times are when alumni visit the school. Each year, dozens of alumni return to Holy Name of Mary to tell of the colleges they've graduated from, the careers they've begun and the families they've started. Some even return to the school to register their own children.
"I think one of the most rewarding and gratifying experiences an adult can have is to see a child you educated mature emotionally and develop as a person," Lynch said. "To see what they have become and to see them be happy in life ... you can't help but be proud."
Next June, Lynch, 69, will step down as principal. Taking over will be Kathleen Spollen, former principal of the now closed St. Boniface School in Elmont. Lynch and Spollen are acting as co-principals this year to ensure a smooth transition.
During Lynch's 28 years here, thousands in the community have come to know her dedication to the school. The progress it has made over the past three decades is due in no small part to her leadership. For that, Sister Elizabeth Marie has been chosen the Valley Stream Herald's 2004 Person of the Year.
"It has been a joy," Lynch said. "The people, the families, the spirit, the community - all the qualities you would like to have in a building that is yours are here and continue to grow."
Lynch grew up in Flushing, Queens. She first felt the desire to become a nun as a fifth-grader at St. Mary's Elementary School. Though she did not attend a Catholic high school, Lynch's desire did not wane. When she graduated from Flushing High School, her father asked that she wait at least a year before entering a convent.
"My father asked me to wait a year," Lynch recalled. "My sister was happy for me, because she knew I'd be happy. My mother was not Catholic, so she had a lot of questions and uncertainties, but she never held me back from my desires."
Lynch did as her father asked. A year later, her intention remained the same. She entered the Order of the Sisters of St. Joseph in Brentwood in 1955. She was one of 72 women who entered the convent that year and were educated as teachers. At the time - prior to Vatican II in the 1960s - a nun's profession was decided for her unless she came to the community after having already established one.
Lynch began teaching in 1958. She taught at St. Brendan's Elementary School in Coney Island, and St. Benedict Joseph and Holy Family elementary schools in Queens before being asked by the bishop to become a principal. She spent seven years as principal of the Blessed Sacrament School in East New York before being transferred to Holy Name of Mary.
She has seen Holy Name of Mary through ups and downs in enrollment, and is happy to report that the school has had a 25 percent enrollment increase during the past three years. Even though finances are always a concern, Lynch has encouraged the integration of technology into students' learning. And she has always encouraged teachers to take advantage of workshops. Under her leadership, the school started and expanded its early-childhood-education program. The school now offers nursery, pre-kindergarten and kindergarten classes.
The library has been both expanded and automated. Foreign-language classes have been added, class sizes have decreased, after-school programs were added to meet the needs of working parents and resource-room teachers were hired to help students with special needs. Holy Name of Mary students continue to perform above average on the state-mandated English and math exams administered to fourth- and eighth-graders.
Perhaps the school's greatest achievement during Lynch's tenure was the accreditation it received from the Middle States Association for Colleges and Schools. Lynch oversaw the three-year process, and accreditation was awarded to the school last July.
While she may not boast of her accomplishments as principal, those around Lynch are happy to do it for her. "She's an excellent leader," said Sister Barbara O'Shea, the recently retired director of religious education. "She's very generous, very compassionate and very understanding both to the children and to the teachers."
After speaking with a number of people in the school community, Fran O'Hara, the school librarian, pieced together some highlights of Lynch's career. Besides the obvious ones like receiving accreditation, O'Hara noted that Lynch is always present during school functions. She has always been game to dress up as Gumby to entertain her students on Halloween or dance the lindy or the jitterbug at parish functions. O'Hara said Lynch has been a steady source of support to teachers and families during times of illness or crisis, and is always ready to offer counsel.
"It is difficult to know how she has touched people, because she works quietly behind the scenes to help others," said O'Hara.
The Rev. Thomas Harold, Holy Name of Mary's pastor, summed up Lynch's contribution to the community with one word: confidence. Lynch could never have been principal for 28 years had she not gained the confidence of parents, students, faculty and parish pastors. "She's also celebrating 50 years as a Sister of St. Joseph - a sign of her dedication and commitment not only to Holy Name of Mary School, but to God and the church," Harold said.
Though Lynch is retiring as principal, she isn't going far. She will continue to live in the convent adjacent to the school. It has yet to be decided, but Lynch, the Herald's choice as 2004 Person of the Year, will continue to have a role in the parish.
