Mrs. Ross: In a Class of Her Own
Mary Beth Ross in 1978
“Teaching is so much more than ‘We have to get through this curriculum,’” says Stone Harbor Elementary School third-grade teacher Mary Beth Ross. This, among other things, was on Ross’ mind as she mused about the completion of her career at the end of the school year.
Ross’ retirement seemed to be on everyone’s minds that school day in June.
A sign posted outside of the main office read, “Happy Retirement
Mrs. Ross.” In between greetings and hugs from children passing in the hallway, there was chatter about the surprise party that everyone at school attended in Ross’ honor that past Friday. “Yes, we had a party in the house,” Ross replies, and laughs in response to one boy’s remark about the fun celebration. In the next instant, upon request and without missing a beat, the soon-to-retire teacher knelt down and helped a little guy tie his shoe.
As Ross says, “Teaching is so much more … ”
Mrs. Ross began her labor of love as Miss Boyle at Stone Harbor Elementary School in 1977. She taught a combined third- and fourth-grade class with 29 students. Ross left the job in 1986 when her daughter, Sarah, was born. This new mother required heart surgery shortly after bringing Sarah into the world. Two years later, her son, Andrew, was born.
Given the opportunity, Ross stayed home to raise her children in their early years. She returned to teaching at
St. Nicholas Catholic School, which is quite close to home in Egg Harbor City. While at St. Nicholas from 1993-97, Ross had another opportunity, she recalls. The job enabled her to be both her daughter’s and her son’s third-grade teacher.
The educator returned to Seven Mile Beach to teach at Avalon Elementary School from 1997 until 2011. Special-education teacher Jan Leib remembers when Ross was hired. “Three-hundred and forty people applied for the job,” Leib says. “And she got it!”
Ross resumed working at Stone Harbor Elementary School in 2011 when the schools consolidated, with grades K-4 in Stone Harbor and grades 5-8 in Avalon. “I started here as a Boyle and I came back as a Ross!” she notes. In addition to teaching, Ross has long served on the board of the Parent Teacher Connection. For the past five years, she has been its vice president.
This teacher credits her family members for being “unbelievably supportive” of her calling, especially her “biggest cheerleader” and spouse, Bob Ross. “Bob helps me with everything,” Mary Beth says before adding that she drives an hour commute and sometimes works into the night. Oftentimes, when checking in with each other, “My husband would laugh and say, ‘Are you coming home tonight?’ ” Ross says with tears in her eyes. “I love what I do.”
An upbeat atmosphere in Ross’ classroom says as much.
Characters from Charles Schultz “Peanuts” comic strip are hanging everywhere. Charlie Brown overlooks a metric-system chart. Peppermint Patty appears to cheer above a list of measurements like pints, quarts and gallons. Snoopy hugs Woodstock above a colorful banner that reads, “We are a team.” A merry Peanuts crew stands on a field in a poster that says, “Get in the game!” Lucy declares, “This could very well be the most important day of your life.” Charlie Brown reminds everyone, “There is a good feeling to be had from sharing.”
Ross’ signature classroom theme has always been Snoopy and company. “There are many lessons to be learned from Charlie Brown and the Peanuts gang,” Ross says. “I think the most important thing for children is to realize is how special they are. Each unique personality is so important to our third-grade team. We each have wonderful ideas and talents to share. I always reminded them that it’s OK to make a mistake. We pick up and try again. This makes us stronger and better students. We each continue to blossom in our own special way.”
One of those children just happened to blossom into the Seven Mile Times Associate Editor Jennifer James Davenport. Davenport fondly remembers her third- and fourth-grade teacher.
“Mrs. Ross was my absolute favorite teacher. She made me really love school and eventually want to teach myself,” Davenport says. “I’m sure making the decision to retire wasn’t easy. Mrs. Ross really loves teaching and her students. It’s evident in her classroom every day. Anyone who had the privilege of being one of her students was very lucky.”
Over the years, Ross brought learning to life in all sorts of ways.
“We send letters and cards to people all of the time,” Ross says. Correspondence includes thank-you notes when appropriate, Christmas cards to senior citizens in Vineland and Valentine’s Day cards to U.S. military troops in conjunction with Lite Rock 96.9 radio.
Plus, every year Stone Harbor Elementary third-graders collect items such as beach toys and sunscreen that they donate to Avalon’s Helen L. Diller Vacation Home for Blind Children.
Various events introduced by Ross have become traditions.
Around Christmastime, Ross leads her class in a reading of Chris Van Allsburg’s “The Polar Express,” an award-winning children’s book about the wonder and spirit of Christmas. Come springtime, Ross and her students invite the local community to join them for “Meet the Presidents Night.” That evening, each of the students bears or wears a representation of a former U.S. president and gives a speech as that president.
Last November, Ross organized an occasion to honor veterans from the American Legion’s Stephen C. Ludlam Post 331 and veterans whose children attend Stone Harbor Elementary School. Students sang patriotic songs, presented thank-you notes and provided lunch for the veterans in gratitude for all that they do for the rest of us.
“It’s important for the school to be out there in the community,” Ross asserts.
For Ross’ last project, the class created a display, “The 1st Day of School,” for the Avalon Garden Club’s Annual Flower Show, as her students have done for the past 20 years.
Another longtime event, one also initiated by Ross at Avalon Elementary School, seems bittersweet for Ross since the loss of her mother, Rose Mary Boyle, who passed away in March. Ross’ mom often helped out at Avalon Elementary School, particularly on Grandparents Day. That day, Mrs. Boyle – who worked as the penny-candy lady in the Wheaton Village General Store for 32 years – adopted children who did not have grandmothers or grandfathers there at school. In this telling, Ross grabbed a box of tissues as she choked back tears.
Nearby, normally chirping black chicks sleep peacefully. Other classroom pets, crayfish and Painted Lady butterflies that were studied and cared for by students, were already set free.
Like those butterflies, Ross will leave the classroom and begin a new life.
As the educator prepares to spread her new wings, she envisions one way in which she would like to spend some free time. Ross plans to volunteer as a baby “cuddler” at the AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center’s campus in Pomona. Baby cuddlers rock, soothe, sing and do whatever else it takes to calm preemies and infants who are born addicted to opioids.
As she did so tenderly with teaching, Ross will likely make cuddling so much more. The retired teacher might even take along Snoopy to visit the hospital nursery and assist her!
