Eastside: June 2013

Page 1

www.eastside-online.org

Vol. 47 No. 10

Cherry Hill High School East: 1750 Kresson Road, Cherry Hill, NJ 08003

June 2013

Dr. John O’Breza: Saying goodbye to East ■ By Juliet Brooks (‘13) Eastside Editor-in-Chief

Dr. John O’Breza, principal of Cherry Hill High School East since 2002, is ending his career at East this summer in order to pursue other interests and opportunities. O’Breza does not call this a retirement—he intends to remain as active as ever. He looks at the change more in terms of seeking new expe-

riences. He has been working in Cherry Hill professionalism but also voluntarism… I am since East first opened in 1968. His first teachproud in the sense that my job was to help ing job was an internship at summer school at [events] happen wherever I could.” East, and from there he taught at West for a few O’Breza has not been an overbearing leader. years. Although he has bounced back and forth a He believes that leading is about working with few times between the high schools, he has not good people. His philosophy has always been, left the district. “It’s a matter of making it happen for people.” The majority of East’s students picture He tends to believe the best of people. By placO’Breza only in his adminising trust in his stutrative role, but he spent “In the end I guess you can say this dents and faculty from around half of his career in with anyone—we’re all looking for a the beginning, the classroom. O’Breza was O’Breza encourages an English teacher until place to be, a place to land, a place to them to take responsi1987; he taught all grades be productive, to do something that bility for their actions. and levels of English and has rarely been interests us, inspires us, makes us He taught diverse electives disappointed. from Creative Writing to feel good about our purpose in this Another part of his Great Books. O’Breza said job was to ensure that life, this world.” of his decision to be a students and staff -Dr. John O’Breza his teacher, “I like school. could do what they I like books. I like were passionate the environment. I like the other about. people. It was actually when I O’Breza said, “There are certain rules. My job started high school and went to is to know what the rules are and figure out college I just knew I was going to what’s permissible. And therein lies the art.” wind up somewhere in a high O’Breza views his work not as a chore, but as school, teaching.” a life mission. “Whether in the classroom or in a leadership The Teacher position in the school, as we care for others we care for ourselves. It’s a tidy kind of package. It’s When asked how he would a good way of thinking about the world and one’s describe himself, O’Breza said, purpose in the world… As an administrator you “As a person of service.” do what you can in maintaining and advancing O’Breza added, “Work has your school, this enterprise, providing opportunever been a burden or a chore, nity for others… It’s looking beyond yourself to and people do different things others that helps one’s soul. That’s at least the in their world, in their lives, for way I think about the world.” different reasons… You want to be purposeful, for whatever The Arts Enthusiast reason. I have a sense of service to others… Service to othAn integral part of O’Breza’s personality is ers is really service to self.” his great love of the arts. O’Breza enjoyed his time as He has always been an avid reader. He plans a teacher because he enjoyed to attend more theater productions, expand his meeting different students. He musical tastes and travel to China to visit his liked the challenge of adjustson, who has been teaching there for two years. ing his teaching style to the various tendencies of his stuThe Good-Bye dents. Even though not all of his students appreciated the Working as principal has been a full-time subject he taught, O’Breza did occupation for O’Breza; he often stays long after not mind. the late buses have left the building and arrives “You have the challenge of early every morning. O’Breza finally decided it engaging people who didn’t was time for him to move on after months of want to hear about books or deliberation. writing or anything like that He said, “I could probably ask and work out so it was more of a real and some kind of arrangement to be gone for a genuine world in which they month, but that wouldn’t be right for the school. lived, and I appreciated that,” And what I would be thinking about all the time he said. from a distance is what’s going on back there? You know, and you get into that. So it’s just The Administrator time.” Even though O’Breza will miss the school, he In 1987, O’Breza took on a believes in his decision. part-time job as a supervisor in “I’ve had a sacred trust for a while. It’s now the English Department. By the for somebody else. Nothing is forever. It is not an 1988-89 school year, he had moved easy thing to decide… I’ve loved it all… we were to work as an administrator at all happy to be in Cherry Hill with a supportive West, where he stayed until 1996. He community, and I loved West, I loved East. It’s then returned to East. just time. And I think that kind of consideration O’Breza said of his career, “You’re doesn’t come easy. It’s something you think only as good as the people around about a lot.” you, and when the people around you Cherry Hill East thanks you, Dr. O’Breza, for have such a great spirit of not only your dedication to upholding that sacred trust. Photo by Meghna Kothari (‘15)/ Eastside Staff

Dr. John O’Breza has been the principal of Cherry Hill East since 2002.

Inside This Issue

Seniors reflect on high school years Seniors Pg. B

Senior Superlatives Seniors Pgs. F-G

For the full version of this story, visit eastside-online.org

All-East team revealed Sports Pg. 23


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