Mary Margaret O'Brien
Although education was not the career arena in which Mary Margaret O'Brien saw herself as she was growing up, she was driven to teaching by her love of children. In an interview just before her retirement, Mary Margaret said, "I thought about teaching and how much I loved children. And being with children was always something I enjoyed.
Born on April 23, 1933, the daughter of a New Haven police officer and an administrator in the New Haven schools, Mary Margaret's education began at St. Mary's School in New Haven; she entered the Canoe Brook School in Branford in the fifth grade. Graduating from Branford High School in 1950, Mary Margaret went on to New Haven State Teachers College (now Southern Connecticut State University) and received a Bachelor of Science degree in 1954, followed by a Master of Science from Southern Connecticut State University in 1960 and a Certificate of Advanced Study from Fairfield University in 1965.
During college Mary Margaret worked, first as a volunteer and later as a paid employee, for the Branford Recreation Department under the guidance of its new director, Joe Trapasso, along with another Branford educator, Joe Chandler. Her enjoyable experiences with the recreation department led her later to become an assistant coach for a Pigtail softball team and an advisor to the St. Mary's cheerleaders.
Just as she began her education in Branford with fifth grade, Mary Margaret began her professional career in 1954 as a fifth grade teacher at the Laurel Street School. Within four years her administrative ability had become evident, and she was appointed teaching principal at Canoe Brook School (back where it all began), where she taught a combined third and fourth grade.
In September 1960 Mary Margaret was asked to serve as interim teaching principal and fifth grade teacher at the new Short Beach School, where Alice Batrow was one of her colleagues. Six weeks later, Mary Margaret was sent to a fifth grade class temporarily housed at Branford Junior High School until the Brushy Plain School opened in December. There she served as teaching principal until 1969. During the spring and fall of 1960, Mary Margaret taught four different grades and worked in four different schools.
In 1969, Mary Margaret was named supervising principal, responsible for several elementary schools and rented classroom space. In 1976 she was named Coordinator of Elementary Education and became responsible for all aspects of curriculum, supervision, and administration - at one time for as many as nine elementary schools!
Active and energetic, her J 991 retirement from the Branford Public Schools did not remove Mary Margaret from either education or administration, and she is presently Supervisor of Graduate Interns at the University of Bridgeport. In addition to having served on the renovation committee for the Blackstone Library among other endeavors, she is on the board of directors of Branford Day Care Center, educational chairperson for the United Way, corporator of Branford Savings Bank, and a lifetime member of PTA. Among the many honors and awards Mary Margaret has received is the Pro Dea et Jueventute Silver Medal (For God and Youth) from the National Council of Catholic Youth for a "significant contribution to the spiritual development of youth. When she's not working, according to Mary Margaret, you can find her at World Gym or on the golf course.
Born on April 23, 1933, the daughter of a New Haven police officer and an administrator in the New Haven schools, Mary Margaret's education began at St. Mary's School in New Haven; she entered the Canoe Brook School in Branford in the fifth grade. Graduating from Branford High School in 1950, Mary Margaret went on to New Haven State Teachers College (now Southern Connecticut State University) and received a Bachelor of Science degree in 1954, followed by a Master of Science from Southern Connecticut State University in 1960 and a Certificate of Advanced Study from Fairfield University in 1965.
During college Mary Margaret worked, first as a volunteer and later as a paid employee, for the Branford Recreation Department under the guidance of its new director, Joe Trapasso, along with another Branford educator, Joe Chandler. Her enjoyable experiences with the recreation department led her later to become an assistant coach for a Pigtail softball team and an advisor to the St. Mary's cheerleaders.
Just as she began her education in Branford with fifth grade, Mary Margaret began her professional career in 1954 as a fifth grade teacher at the Laurel Street School. Within four years her administrative ability had become evident, and she was appointed teaching principal at Canoe Brook School (back where it all began), where she taught a combined third and fourth grade.
In September 1960 Mary Margaret was asked to serve as interim teaching principal and fifth grade teacher at the new Short Beach School, where Alice Batrow was one of her colleagues. Six weeks later, Mary Margaret was sent to a fifth grade class temporarily housed at Branford Junior High School until the Brushy Plain School opened in December. There she served as teaching principal until 1969. During the spring and fall of 1960, Mary Margaret taught four different grades and worked in four different schools.
In 1969, Mary Margaret was named supervising principal, responsible for several elementary schools and rented classroom space. In 1976 she was named Coordinator of Elementary Education and became responsible for all aspects of curriculum, supervision, and administration - at one time for as many as nine elementary schools!
Active and energetic, her J 991 retirement from the Branford Public Schools did not remove Mary Margaret from either education or administration, and she is presently Supervisor of Graduate Interns at the University of Bridgeport. In addition to having served on the renovation committee for the Blackstone Library among other endeavors, she is on the board of directors of Branford Day Care Center, educational chairperson for the United Way, corporator of Branford Savings Bank, and a lifetime member of PTA. Among the many honors and awards Mary Margaret has received is the Pro Dea et Jueventute Silver Medal (For God and Youth) from the National Council of Catholic Youth for a "significant contribution to the spiritual development of youth. When she's not working, according to Mary Margaret, you can find her at World Gym or on the golf course.