March is the one month of the year dedicated to applauding the influences of women figures in the past, present, and future. Although we should celebrate these accomplishments more often throughout the year, having a month designated to celebrate women who have worked hard and put in generous efforts to benefit our society is also very important. In honor of Women’s History Month, I have continued the precedent of asking some female teachers at Tenafly High School about their personal experiences and achievements. 

Mrs. Barker teaches many different levels of mathematics and this is her 16th year teaching in the Tenafly district. She graduated from Syracuse University with two degrees—one in Television, Radio and Film Management, and the other in Marketing. After several years of taking on different jobs, she went back to school to get her teaching degree because she always wanted to be a teacher. Mrs. Barker said, “I think it is so important to be a woman in the math field and to show other women that the math and sciences are not only for men.” Moreover, “Women’s History Month is just a more structured time for women to honor other women’s achievements but we should make a point to learn from and appreciate the women around us who have paved the way for us or just provided the encouragement we needed to pursue our goals and dreams.” Something very interesting about Mrs. Barker is that she has taught every grade from Kindergarten to 12th except for first and second grade! 

Mrs. Maloney is an English teacher and has been teaching at THS for 31 years. Mrs. Maloney went to Duke University for her undergraduate degree and then received a masters degree in writing that she started at NYU and finished at William Patterson. She also has many other graduate credits from other universities. “My first inspiration for wanting to have a career in education was the teachers I had, especially the elementary teachers,” she said. Mrs. Maloney feels that her proudest achievements are impacting her students educationally but also helping them enjoy high school. “I felt as if I could make a difference in education, and I was very motivated to, among other things, create opportunities for high school students that would be meaningful to them,” she said. “I think that young women should know that they are as capable as men are and that they have the right to advocate for themselves, and that they can do anything.”

Mrs. Cutrone has been a public school teacher for 17 years, and currently teaches history and AP Government and Politics at THS. She has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland in Government and Politics, as well as one in Secondary Education. Mrs. Cutrone also has a master’s degree from New Jersey City University in Educational Leadership. Interestingly, Mrs. Cutrone is the co-founder and president of an organization called WE DO (Women Empowered Democratic Organization), which aims to support women running for office or becoming involved in public service. She is also the Deputy Mayor in Fair Lawn. “Women’s History Month is a time to reflect upon and celebrate the many accomplishments women have made in America,” Cutrone said. “It is also a time to remember the bias and inequality that still exists between the genders and it’s a time to commit ourselves to work together to address, fix and break those biases.” She hopes that “one day, we won’t need a Women’s History Month because the contributions of women will be woven into the fabric of our society in a better and more meaningful way than they are today.”

Dr. Rabinowitz is another one of THS’s English teachers and has been one for 27 years. She was a teaching assistant whilst getting her masters degree in English from the University of Rhode Island. “I loved it so much; it was the best!” she said. She then had many jobs, including one in marketing at Princeton University Press, but always loved teaching. Dr. Rabinowitz explained that “The best part about my job is closing the door and being with my students. I love my students.” She also works as a mentor for young and aspiring teachers. “I really like working with young teachers and fresh minds who are coming into the profession. I feel like I have a lot to share and they give me so much.” Dr. Rabinowitz encourages young women to always be courageous and take risks. She explained, “Women’s empowerment is so important to encourage girls to use their voice. They are silenced in so many ways and are still silenced today. Society tells women to be afraid and tells them what they should do, but they are capable of doing anything. They need encouragement, and I like that I’m a vehicle to help encourage them.”

Although these are just a four of Tenafly’s female educators, we are so lucky to have many more talented, brilliant, and hard-working teachers at our school. Women’s empowerment is so important in helping individuals recognize their self-worth and power, access to opportunities, and abilities to make a difference and change the world.