Page 3 - Wayne Dispatch Pages

A Labor of Love

Kitty Monit, reflects on her 28 years on the eve of her bittersweet retirement

By Courtney Conover year span.
There are simply too many to The next chapter in Monit’s jour-
choose from. ney caught her by surprise and
Ask Kitty Monit, the Taft-Gal- couldn’t have been better scripted if
loway Elementary School main office it had been written by a New York
secretary, to pick the most memo- Times bestselling author: Now, it
rable moment of her career, and one was the secretary at Taft-Galloway
will find that she’s got her work cut that was retiring. Monit was then wel-
out for her. comed back and hired by then-prin-
Perhaps it’s the time she helped cipal Mike Hurley.
build an igloo–large enough to serve “There was no doubt in my
as a cozy reading retreat for several mind,” says Monit, who has memo-
children–out of empty milk jugs. Plot ries of coming to the school with her
twist: A few days after it had been father on Election Day when she was
built, Monit arrived one morning to a young girl. “My heart was here.”
find that, because the nearby heating So back to Taft she went in the
vent had melted the glue, the entire fall of 2001, but the school wasn’t at
structure had collapsed. “We ended all the same: In 1999 an entirely new
up having to rebuild the igloo—and school had been built–only the gym-
weave wire through each jug to keep nasium and one hallway remained
it stable,” recalls Monit, 67. “It took as relics of the first structure. Still, a
a week.” certain familiarity loomed, which is
Or maybe it’s the countless times to be expected when one has the
she’s doled out a Hershey’s Kiss as pleasure of working with someone
an additional comfort for students they get along well with.
who had been sent down to the office “He was not only a boss, but a
for a bandage or bag of ice. Back good friend,” Monit says of Hurley.
when Monit served as the secretary Mike’s a combination of friend, dad,
of Vandenberg Elementary (which Kitty Monit and her Hershey’s Kiss. brother, the whole thing. You can run
closed in 2011), she became known the personification of school spirit. Stuff like that,” says Monit. But then anything past him and get feedback.”
for the Band-Aid-covered bucket on She’s donning a long-sleeve orange it progressed to other staff members Like Monit, Hurley had devel-
her desk that was filled with the and navy Taft-Galloway baseball tee asking if she could come to the oped a decades-long career in educa-
chocolate treats. A family at the that bears the school’s motto at the school and run the copier. tion. Prior to his retirement from
school, the Millers, gifted Monit with bottom, The World’s Greatest Ele- It wasn’t long before Monit be- Wayne-Westland Community Schools
an upgrade: A shiny silver container mentary School. came a Taft-Galloway staff member in 2004, Hurley had worked at nu-
shaped as a giant Hershey’s Kiss, “There is magic in this building,” in an official capacity. The role of merous schools within the district,
complete with the signature white she says in a tone that is both defin- lunchroom sub came first, and a full- including Vandenberg, C.P. Titus Ele-
tag on top. In fact, the jar still sits on itive and compassionate. time lunchroom assistant position mentary (which has since closed),
Monit’s desk today. Perhaps Monit should add an S followed. Next, Monit became an and P.D. Graham Elementary, in ad-
“It plays loud, obnoxious music to the word building, because, tech- overload aid before moving on to be- dition to serving as the principal of
when you open it, and the rule is that nically, she is referring to two of come a paraprofessional (one who Taft-Galloway for 12 years. “Working
if a student wants a Kiss, they have them. But more on that in a minute. works alongside teachers to support with Kitty was such a joy,” says Hur-
to dance for it,” Monit explains. “I re- Monit’s storied history with Taft- students). ley. “She was like a mom; she just
member one time when a student Galloway began in 1988 when she ac- And then came a plum of an op- has that ability to smooth things over
came down—Nathan was his name, companied her eldest son, Justin, portunity that was highly unex- with parents and handle things with
and he was not in a great mood. I on his first day of kindergarten. But pected: The secretary at nearby kids—and we had some pretty tough
asked him if he wanted a Kiss, and it’s important to note that Taft-Gal- Vandenberg Elementary was retiring. cases back in the day. But nothing
he replied, ‘Yes, I do. But I don’t want loway didn’t look back then the way And that presented Monit with the frazzled her. She just took it all in
to dance, so I’m not doing it,’” Monit it does today—an entirely different chance to hone an entirely new stride. We worked together for a long
chuckles. (and much older) building existed on skillset. So, she jumped at it and as- time. She could read me, and I could
After Monit’s laughter subsides, that site back in the 1980s. sumed the role of school secretary in read her. That made the workplace
she pauses a bit and declares, “Wow, “I introduced myself to the princi- 1999. so much better—and fun to go to
what a ride this has been.” pal and said, ‘If you need anything, “Vandenberg was so different, the every day.”
She’s right. We should all be so call me. I’d love to help and want to school itself was so small,” Monit re- Hurley also credits Monit and her
lucky to look back on the trajectory be involved,’” Monit remembers. calls. “There were no bussed kids, husband, Skip, for their invaluable
of our livelihood in the way that Shortly thereafter, her son’s so we never had bus issues—every- work with the bond committee that
Monit looks back at hers. teacher began reaching out with gar- one walked. Also, the parents were paved the way for the construction of
It’s the morning of Monit’s inter- den-variety requests: “It was like, very involved. I had a great time
view for this cover story, and she’s ‘Can you put this bulletin board up?’ there,” Monit says fondly of her four- See Monit, page 4
The Wayne Dispatch · February 2023 · 3