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All I really need to know I learned in kindergarten

Friday, June 6, 2025Culture

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It is my sincere hope that we've all had that teacher. The one who made you feel confident and strong. The one whose classroom was a safe haven and a happy place.

Eileen
McLaughlin

All I really need to know I learned in kindergarten ... and Judy Norton was my teacher. Last week, after attending Mass with the Our Lady Academy school in Waltham, I stood outside the church to greet people. It was a sunny Thursday morning of a four-day week. My take on holiday weeks is that they are often 100 percent of the work in 80 percent of the time. I can feel rushed, distracted, and pressured. I did that morning. I wanted to be present for the community, but I also knew that I had a meeting to get back to and a laundry list of things to do. And then, I heard someone say my name, "Eileen." I turned and immediately knew who had said it. It was Miss Norton, my kindergarten teacher from Our Lady of the Presentation School in the Oak Square neighborhood of Brighton. Just seeing her face brought on the warmth, comfort, and joy of her K2 classroom.
I did the thing that we do nowadays, I asked someone to take a picture of me and Miss Norton, and I posted it on social media. My phone began pinging almost immediately and continued throughout the day.
"The best!"
"I loved her so much! I would ask my Nana to take me to the mall to visit her at her summer job!"
"She was the most amazing kindergarten teacher"
"OMG! I loved her so much!!!"
"I never had her, but remember her being so sweet"
"Miss Norton! I love her so much. I still remember her kindness and gentle manner"
"Truly The Best!"

My post opened the floodgates for people to acknowledge the place Judy Norton holds in their memory. The place she holds in their development. It is my sincere hope that we've all had that teacher. The one who made you feel confident and strong. The one whose classroom was a safe haven and a happy place. I've been lucky enough to have a few along the way. I am certain that the number of quality teachers that I had as a student absolutely influenced my own success as a teacher.
This week marks my one-year anniversary as superintendent of Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Boston. As I began this work, many people would ask me what my vision for Catholic schools was. My vision for Catholic schools is absolutely grounded in my kindergarten experience at OLP. My vision is rooted in my high school experience at Mount St. Joseph Academy. My vision is built upon my teacher and leadership experience at Mount Alvernia High School. What is common to all of those experiences is the excellence of the faculties.
The impact of a teacher is significant. It's not just about the content they teach or the style of delivery -- although those factors are critically important, too. What students remember, decades later, is how they felt in that teacher's classroom. It is the feeling that allows the student to engage with the content. It is the intangible formation of the person that allows a student to commit to growing, to acknowledge the work that needs to be done and persevere.
I have a profound gratitude for the educational professionals who have committed to careers in Catholic education, both the religious and the laity. It is critically important that we find ways to support our Catholic school teachers. Support is grounded in professional development, engagement, respect, and compensation. There are elements of this support that can be fostered immediately, while funding will continue to be a challenge. Challenges can feel overwhelming and stall momentum, but a chance encounter with my kindergarten teacher reminded me that all things are possible and there is joy in doing the work.
Who is your Miss Norton? Is there a way that you can support the mission of Catholic education in the Archdiocese of Boston?

- Eileen McLaughlin is superintendent of Catholic Schools of the Archdiocese of Boston.