Maryknoll pays tribute to longtime employee
By Jennifer Hiller
Advertiser Education Writer
After 40 years of working variously as teacher, athletic director, vice principal, principal — and now teacher again — at Maryknoll Schools, Jared Kaufmann has been honored by the school.
But it doesn't mean he's retiring.
KAUFMANN
Kaufmann, a history teacher who served for 10 years as the school's first lay principal, was honored last weekend at the annual alumni dinner. Although he received gifts traditional for a retirement — a chair and a watch — he's been fending off rumors that he's leaving the school.
Kaufman, 63, says he won't retire that easily.
"I'd like to go until I'm closer to 70," he said. "My goal is to make it the best school possible."
He graduated from Maryknoll, attended Chaminade University on a scholarship and returned to Maryknoll for his first job. To pay the costs of raising four children, Kaufman initially spent his summers off as the school's janitor.
The Maryknoll sisters first tried to talk him into becoming principal in 1974, but he wanted to stay in the classroom. Eventually, he relented. He served as vice principal and then as principal from 1977 to 1987.
After his wife died of lung cancer in 1986, however, Kaufman resigned as principal and returned to teaching because his youngest child was just 5.
Kaufmann insists the school has done as much for him as he has for it over the years.
When he got cancer in 1993, the Japanese class brought 1,001 paper cranes, the nuns brought him communion and the school raised money to help pay his medical bills.
"It's been one big family for me," Kaufmann said.
For now, Kaufmann continues to coach the bowling team — a family passion — and teaches U.S. history, geography and Asian history.
