Longtime St. Martin's principal S. Maureen Galvin looks forward to new challenges
by Jonathan Marconi

St. Martin's students recognized Principal S. Maureen Galvin on her retirement.

Sister Maureen Galvin has given her notice, said her goodbyes, and with a sense of great achievement and palpable sadness, files away the last remnants of her 20 year tenure as principal of St. Martin of Tours in Amityville.

Prior to joining St. Martin of Tours, Sister Galvin had previously been teaching at Sacred Heart in East Glendale and had been the principal of Corpus Christi in Woodside. In 1987, the community of Amityville approached Sister Galvin and asked if she would take over St. Martin of Tours.

"It was a new challenge and it didn't let me down," said Sister Galvin, who last year celebrated her Golden Jubilee, 50 years as a member of the Dominican Order. "It only reaffirmed the truth that children are all the same no matter where you are."

During her 20 years as principal, Sister Galvin implemented numerous programs, including the now thriving nursery and prekindergarten programs, as well as her most recent informal "Mommy and Me" program.

"She brought in so many programs and turned St. Martin's into a great school," said Jill O'Toole, a colleague and friend of Sister Galvin's for the past nine years.

"She has changed with the times and kept St. Martin of Tours competitive," said Peg Garry referring to the implementation of smart boards in classrooms, a now fully-automated library and a state of the art computer lab.

Sister Galvin believes, like Peg Garry, her nursery school teacher for the past eight years, and friend for 29, that one of her truly wonderful accomplishments was being able to meet the needs of the children and the school. Keeping the school vital and involved, where the benefit of the children always trumped any sacrifices the parents and teachers would be forced to make was truly of the utmost importance, said Sister Galvin.

"In the process, she maintained the spirituality of a catholic school," said Garry, "That is a wonderful accomplishment."

Sister Galvin believes her greatest achievement was fostering a true spiritual sense of humanity and global awareness in her students. Through charity drives and monthly casual-dress student donation affairs, "We have brought out the love of God in the children, faculty and teachers," said Sister Galvin. "We are building good Christians and great Americans."

"Sister Galvin always went beyond the call of duty," said Sister Agnes Wassmer, a retired social studies teacher at St. Martin of Tours, discussing how Sister Galvin would personally sign and leave student-specific remarks on each and every child's report card. "Just living with her I know her heart was always fully with St. Martins and the children."

"She made St. Martin's a caring atmosphere," said Garry, "It's her baby, and she will be missed."

At the end of this month, Sister Galvin is going on a personal retreat, a four-month sabbatical. "I will return open to the spirit," said Galvin referring to the prospect of teaching and working with children again, "I know an opportunity will present itself. I have no doubt."

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