Ms. Mary-Lynn Rhodes was approved to replace Ms. Argine Safari, who will be leaving Pascack Valley on a six month sabbatical, during the Board of Education meeting in the Pascack Hills auditorium last night.

Safari, the choir teacher at Pascack Valley, was named New Jersey’s Teacher of the Year on Oct. 4. As a result, she will be on a six month sabbatical, or period of paid leave, beginning Jan. 4, following a visit from Kimberley Harrington, the Commissioner of Education in New Jersey, on Jan. 3.

Rhodes was selected to be Safari’s substitute until June after a long selection process.

“There is no best option to replace Safari,” said Ms. Noemi Rodriguez, district supervisor of World Languages, Music, and Family and Consumer Sciences. “This sabbatical was overwhelmingly difficult knowing that Safari wears incredible shoes. You can’t replace Safari.”

According to Rodriguez, the initial step in hiring a substitute for Safari was an interview with Rodriguez and then an interview with PV Principal Tom DeMaio. Following the two interviews, the top candidates were chosen and required to give a demonstration lesson, which Safari herself sat in for. An interview with PVRHS District Supervisor Erik Gundersen followed. The final step was approval by the Board of Education.  

“With her diverse background, her multitude of teaching experiences, and her degrees,” Rodriguez said, “[Rhodes] was a candidate that we were right away very much interested in.”

Rhodes will begin on Jan. 3.

Rhodes has a masters in Music Education with a minor in ethnomusicology, the study of the music of different cultures. She has taught in various schools, ranging from middle schools in New York to Minnesota to Indiana to West Africa. Her most recent teaching experience was at Madison Junior School in Madison, NJ.

“We were, administrative wise, a little conflicted because we were so excited that she had the opportunity to represent our district, our state, potentially nationally,” Rodriguez said, “but we were a little sad to learn that this also came with having to go out of the classroom for some amount of time.”

“The downside, for the district, of having a teacher win New Jersey Teacher of the Year is that we lose that person for six months,” Gundersen said. “But the benefit is that we’re going to get a teacher back who has so many additional and varied experience as a result of that sabbatical that she’s going to bring a lot to our district.”

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Since Safari is the Tri-M Music Honors Society advisor and leader of the Bro Squad, she plans on staying as involved as she can. However, during her sabbatical, Safari will be travelling across the state and the country. She will be working for the Department of Education in Trenton and for Educational Testing Services. She is leading the New Jersey county teachers of the year developing contacts with college and university students who plan to become educators and will also be attending several conferences, including one in Dallas where all the state Teachers of of the Year will be gathered. She is meeting the President of the United States during the sabbatical as well.

“I’m representing the K-12 teachers in every subject,” Safari said. “It’s pretty cool and very nerve wracking. I will definitely be getting involved in some art initiatives because, obviously, that’s my passion.”

One of her main platforms will be an emphasis on the importance of the arts in children’s education.

According to Rodriguez, Safari has also put in her application to be National Teacher of the Year.

“The student will still have a great experience. I’m positive about it,” Safari said.

Safari is hoping that her students will be able to run events, such as the Talent Show in February, without her.

“I think my students are very well prepared for this change. They’re well trained. They’re leaders,“ Safari said. “If there’s any problems, I will always be accessible for help.”

Rhodes will be visiting and shadowing today and tomorrow during Safari’s classes.

“It’s impossible to replace someone like Safari,” Rodriguez said, “but we’re hoping that [Rhodes] continues to instill a love for music in all of the students in the music program.”