Never a Job, Always a Joy
for Pat Dillon
Pat Dillon never just goes through the motions. The Huntington High School librarian is a veteran educator, but she still shows up for work early each morning, stays late and can often be found returning after dinner to catch up on some loose ends.
Mrs. Dillon was raised in Wantagh and attended Sacred Heart Academy in Hempstead where she was the editor of the school newspaper. She was a candy striper at Mercy Hospital and worked in a Woolworth's store.
Following high school, Mrs. Dillon attended St. Bonaventure University where she studied English. She completed her student-teaching requirements at Alleghany High School. "The school was right over the railroad tracks behind my dorm," said Mrs. Dillon about Alleghany. "Lucky me!"
At the time, there was a need for librarians in New York State, so Mrs. Dillon applied for and secured a summer internship with the state library system. She went on to C.W. Post College's Palmer School of Library Science, was awarded a graduate assistantship and obtained a master's degree. She later earned a second master's at Stony Brook University in educational technology.
Started at Woodmere Academy
Prior to coming to the Huntington School District, Mrs. Dillon worked at Woodmere Academy for one year and Herricks High School for eight years. She came to the Woodhull Early Childhood Center in 1990, moved to Huntington Elementary School in 1994 and transferred to Huntington High School in 2010.
"I left Herricks because I had three children in four years and I wanted to raise them, knowing I couldn't put the time in at school and be home when I lived so far away," Mrs. Dillon said about her decision to take a break from her career. Once she returned to the educational fold she was "all in" and continues to display the same enthusiasm today.
"I have wonderful memories of Huntington families, starting with the children when they were in kindergarten and the mothers were pregnant with children I would have later at Huntington Elementary and Huntington Intermediate," Mrs. Dillon said. "I will always remember the McCourt family. Mrs. McCourt was pregnant with Meredith when I had her other children."
Mrs. Dillon served for 12 years on the South Huntington School Board, including eight years as that body's vice-president. She is a member of the South Huntington Educational Foundation's board of directors, the South Huntington Library Board and the South Huntington School District's audit committee. She has been a Eucharistic minister at St. Elizabeth Church in Melville, a hospital ministry captain and a religious education teacher.
The Huntington High School librarian has been on board of directors of the South Huntington Teacher Center and chaired the Huntington Teacher Center's Board. She has been a member of the Huntington School District's technology committee and represents district librarians as the liaison to the Western Suffolk BOCES School Library System.
Mrs. Dillon's days at Huntington High School are long ones. She is brimming over with ideas on how to improve the library and strives to give each student what they might be looking for, whether it is help with research or a project, computer assistance or simply a quiet place to study.
The veteran educator is the faculty advisor for Huntington's Class of 2015. Mrs. Dillon also moderates the high school debate club and serves on the board of Tri-CYA.
Mother of Three
Mrs. Dillon's husband passed away on December 31, 2006 from ocular melanoma. Peter and Patricia Dillon raised three children. Their son Patrick is a music teacher at Munsey Park School in Manhasset; daughter Maureen is an executive assistant with Alliance Global and daughter Meaghan is a project manager with Marcus Samuelsson Group.
Moving from an elementary grade level library to one at Huntington High School has been an interesting experience for Mrs. Dillon. "I have watched the children grow; this is particularly meaningful when I see them again in the high school," she said.
Mrs. Dillon's time at the high school near the close of her long career has been especially meaningful. "My first graduation here I felt like my own children were leaving because I had been with them for so long," she said. "Previously I could only read of their accomplishments. Now I can participate in them. I see them in town and at their jobs. Helping them with their studies, chatting with them during the day and keeping up with their activities makes you remember why you entered the educational world. I am truly blessed. It was never a job, it was a joy.