Autumn Years Fall 2023

P aul grew up in Midland Park, just a few streets over from Wyckoff. As any die hard young Yankees fan in town knew, Yankees shortstop and 1978 World Se ries MVP Bucky Dent lived on Annette Court in Wyckoff. The gravitational pull of that prox imity finally got the best of ten-year-old Paul after the 1978 season, and he and his friend could no longer resist making the short walk to Wyckoff and ringing Bucky Dent’s doorbell. To their delight, Bucky Dent answered the door and gave them his autograph. However, he also firmly instructed the boys not to tell any one else where they got the autographs. Paul was so excited that he could not resist telling his family and was morti fied when his sister marched right over to ask Bucky Dent for an autograph, too. Paul’s sister happily returned with an au tographed photo, which was more than he got. They still laugh about it. Paul’s love for the New York Yankees has never abated. Neither have his op timistic outlook and incredible energy. When you look at Paul’s many accom plishments and activities—husband, father, teacher, coach, player, principal, marathon runner, motivational speaker, author, biographer, blogger, retiree, piano student—it is hard to fathom how he fits so much into each day. The only broad term that aptly describes Paul is happy. Paul met his wife Laurie, in eleventh grade math class at Midland Park High School when on the first day of school the teacher forced him to move from

chemistry and who began teaching sev enth and eighth grade science in Ridge field Park this fall. Paul earned his bachelor’s degree from King’s College, master’s from Wil liam Paterson and doctorate from Seton Hall University. Paul started his career in education as a seventh and eighth grade social studies teacher at Memorial Middle School in Fair Lawn in 1990. He became the vice principal of Pompton Lakes High School in 1996, the principal of Fieldstone Middle School in Montvale in 1998 and principal of Hawes Elemen tary School in Ridgewood in 2008. He retired in August 2022. Paul loved being a classroom teacher but pursued his master’s in adminis tration because he thought he could also help students by leading a school. Whether he was in the classroom or an administrator, Paul enjoyed every

Paul and his wife Laurie.

the back row to an empty seat next to Laurie. He has been making her laugh ever since. Laurie taught kindergarten in Wyckoff until her retirement at the end of the 2022-2023 school year. Paul and Laurie have three sons: Ryan, a chiro practor who lives in Hershey, Pennsyl vania, with his wife Tiffany; Alex, a PhD student at Brandeis who lives in Cam bridge, Massachusetts, and is engaged to his long-time girlfriend Perri; and Ethan, a graduate of Lafayette College who ma jored in neuroscience and minored in

Laurie and Paul recently celebrated their 32nd wedding anniversary. From left to right are: Tiffany, Ryan, Ethan, Laurie, Paul, Alex and Perri.

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AUTUMN YEARS I FALL 2023