When buses of students, parents and teachers drive into the Swampscott Elementary School lot for years to come, they will pass by a street sign reading “Pam Angelakis Way.”
The school’s street was officially dedicated to Angelakis, who served in the school district for 35 years including 11 years as superintendent, during a ceremony on Tuesday. Angelakis retired last June, making way for now Superintendent Jason Calichman, who was the middle school principal under his predecessor’s tenure.
Much of Angelakis’ time as superintendent was spent on the lengthy process of consolidating Swampscott’s elementary schools into one school, a new school building which colleagues agreed on Tuesday would not have been possible without Angelakis.
“This day is long overdue but no less heartfelt,” said Suzanne Wright, who served on the Swampscott School Committee for 12 years, 11 of which were alongside Angelakis as superintendent. “35 years ago, Pam walked into the Swampscott school system as a classroom aid. She didn’t just work her way up. She grew up alongside our district.”
Angelakis pulled off a cover to unveil the new street sign bearing her name.A new plaque dedicated to Angelakis was also placed on the playground fence just behind the sign. As Angelakis was honored Tuesday, children stood behind the playground fence and watched while others played on swing sets and the school’s jungle gym.
“She strengthened our district by building out a foundation of psychological safety,” Wright said of Angelakis. “Pam understood that students can’t learn and teachers can’t teach in environments that don’t feel safe.”
Wright said she learned from Angelakis that a school system is only as strong as the trust running through it.
“And then there’s the school that we’re standing in front of,” said Wright. “For more than a decade…Pam didn’t stop pushing for a consolidated elementary school for Swampscott. This building has been a huge success and that it stands on a street bearing her name is only fitting. This plaque will weather all seasons. The street sign will outlast all of us. The children who walk past it for generations to come will be walking into a school system that is stronger, safer and more alive because of the work of one wonderful person.”
Angelakis said she is very proud of the way the new elementary school turned out and the work that was put into the process.
“Its just amazing and to have had a hand in every decision, every meeting, thousands of hours and hundreds of meetings,” said Angelakis. “It means the world.”
While Angelakis’ legacy and the Swampscott Elementary School go hand-in-hand, she said she also hopes people remember that no matter what, she had the best interest of Swampscott students in mind.
“I hope that my legacy is about the socio-emotional well-being of the kids because I always, even as a teacher in my 20s, said if kids don’t want to be in school, they aren’t going to succeed,” said Angelakis. “I hope people remember that my decisions were always child-based. They might not have been popular with the town or with the school committee, but I can rest my head at night knowing I made the right decision.”
Despite having an impact on the entire school district, Angelakis said it meant a lot that her name would live on at the elementary school.
“I spent my entire 11 and a half years as superintendent working on this,” said Angelakis. “It means everything. This is our future.”
Calichman said the “wonderful” school certainly wouldn’t be standing without Angelakis.
“This is such a well deserved honor,” Calichman said. “The school system wouldn’t be the great place it is without her…Thank you for all you have done for our town, for our kids and congratulations.”
