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A Fond Farewell Thanks
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PDS R ETI R EES Reaching back to Miss Fine’s School, Princeton Country Day School and PDS, only 11 employees have enjoyed a tenure of forty or more years at our School. Their numbers are small, but their influence on the trajectory and fortunes of our School is immense. Two retirees in June 2021 are among this rare group: Barbara Brent and Steve Storey, whose collective careers stretch more than 85 years. Joining them in June were five other retirees whose time at PDS ranged from eight to nearly 30 years: Jody Erdman ’72, Jerry Hirniak, Janet Mayo, Rose Price and Maureen Stellato.
Barbara Brent Barbara Brent’s career for 20 years as Assistant to the Athletics Office and for another 20 years as Assistant to the Middle School began in the fall of 1981. As Head of School Paul Stellato noted, “Barbara has been surrogate parent to thousands of middle schoolers; tutor and Barbara enjoying retirement, guide to hundreds of teachers; summer 2021 and unflagging support for a score of Middle School heads. She has shepherded countless parents through the roughest years any parent will ever know, and she has done so without breaking a sweat or calling for reinforcements.” Steve Hancock, now Head of School at the University School of Milwaukee, remembers his arrival in 2008 and Barbara’s invaluable assistance: “Thankfully, Barbara was more than ready to train a new Middle School Head. Barbara was my proofreader, deadline reminder, and chief encourager. She was also the one who suggested I begin writing the weekly “Focus Notes” for families. Barbara was a trusted resource who could always read the situation and was never shy in sharing her opinion. I came to t en Br love these qualities about Barbara.” ra Barba JOURNAL
In the Athletics Office from 1981-2001, Barbara worked closely with former Athletic Director Jan Baker. “Barbara was involved with all aspects of the physical education and interscholastic programs. Her knowledge, organizational skills, attention to detail, sense of humor and unflappability were invaluable; Barbara was the team’s cornerstone as the PDS athletic program expanded to 52 teams in 17 different varsity sports. We shared 20 years of State Championships, Blue & White Days, crises, and victories and they are all more memorable for having Barbara at my side,” Jan stated. Former colleague Marie Shock is “excited to share more lunches, shopping and trips with Barbara in retirement, but I know how much she’ll be missed at PDS. Always ready with a smile and never shirking from a challenge, she has touched the lives of thousands of students and hundreds of teachers and coaches. Devoted to exercise, she can be found on the Towpath in Titusville running or biking. With the Delaware River nearby, her kayak is another favorite pastime shared with husband Michael.”
Jody Erdman Jody Erdman has been a skilled colleague at PDS for 19 years and Director of the School’s Anne Reid ’72 Art Gallery for more than a decade. She is also a humble person who happens to be part of a family with an awe-inspiring history at our School. As Jody explains, “I am honored to have worked at a school where my family legacy Jody Erdman extends for five generations. My great grandfather Dr. Charles Erdman was a trustee emeritus at Miss Fine’s School for over thirty years, my father and grandfather served on the board of Princeton Country Day and my son Spencer Mooney is a proud member of the Class of 2013. I am very grateful that Spencer was able to receive the same high quality education that I received as a student at the school almost fifty years ago.” As Gallery Director, Jody has showcased art from around the world, including the work of Imagine the Possibilities visiting artists, and from as nearby as our talented Middle, Lower, and Upper School students and faculty. Mr. Stellato observes, “Jody has endowed the Gallery with her taste, wit, and kindness. Her classmate, Anne Reid, would be pleased and proud of Jody’s stewardship.”
