Barbara McAdam has been named the 2024 William Floyd Alumni Association Outstanding Educator. Her journey in education began when she moved with her family from Ozone Park, Queens, to Brentwood in 1959. As a student in the Brentwood School District, she was inspired by her teachers who recognized and nurtured her talents in music, language, and writing.
McAdam pursued a degree in French at SUNY Stony Brook with plans to teach. However, as foreign language courses were being phased out on Long Island by 1973, she shifted her focus to English teaching. After an initial position in Smithtown, she found herself unemployed until William Floyd High School offered her a job as an English teacher.
Reflecting on her time at William Floyd, McAdam said: “Teaching at Floyd revived that excitement and joy in the learning process that I had not felt since graduating from Brentwood HS.” She became known for her engaging teaching methods which included dressing up as literary characters and incorporating performances into lessons. Her creative approach helped students understand complex concepts and resulted in consistently high academic performance.
Colleagues often joined McAdam's efforts to bring literature to life for students. One notable collaboration involved Paul Breschard as Jem and others portraying characters from "To Kill a Mockingbird," which enhanced students' comprehension of the novel.
Over her 30-year career at William Floyd, McAdam received numerous thank-you notes and letters from former students expressing gratitude for her impact on their lives. She expressed appreciation for these gestures: “The real reward for me is in the boxes of thank-you notes...the joy I feel when I learn of the success of one of ‘my kids’ or in the family photos they still send.”
Barbara McAdam remains grateful for the opportunity to teach and cherishes the recognition she has received throughout her career: “I thank God for giving me such joy in my life in the blessed role of ‘teacher,’ and I thank all of you for the honor of your kind remembrance.”