Remembering Carolyn Johnson

The South Orange and Maplewood community lost a valued member on Friday, when longtime teacher Carolyn Johnson died suddenly. Known both as "CJ" and Carolyn, Johnson taught English Language Arts at Columbia High School for 15 years. She taught in this summer's Bridge to Success program, and had taught previously in the Adult School's English-as-a-Second Language Program. 

Johnson's colleagues offer their memories of their fellow teacher and friend. Deb Gomer graciously offered photos. Please feel free to add more memories in the comments section, or to add photos of Carolyn Johnson.

Carolyn was my friend and my colleague. She convinced me to move rooms so I'd teach across the hall from her, and it was one of the best decisions I ever made. We often ate lunch together, worked together on curriculum revisions, attended conferences together, learned to use the SmartBoards in school. We talked about our kids and our families, shared our dreams and our worries, and egged one another on about keeping up with our field.

We worked together on redesigning a course for juniors who were in danger of not passing the HSPA. Carolyn and I both agreed that these students needed not remedial work, but exposure to strong literature and good, targeted instruction in reading and writing. Our course, English 3, resulted in higher test scores than the average for our cohort and these results led to the administration to make the decision to push lower performing students into American Literature classes. Carolyn loved American Literature. She was a Hawthorne buff, and when my father-in-law, a Hawthorne scholar from Colby College, visited me in Maplewood, Carolyn came over to talk to him about literature. She loved reading literary criticism and was just as comfortable talking about the Scarlet Letter with college professors as with students at Columbia. I remember she told me that her goal for this year was to spend more time reading -- she'd read and re-read several books for the AP Literature class she was to teach again this year. She was so excited about starting a new year, and dreamed of opening AP classes to any student who was interested and willing to do the work. She kept up with cutting edge ideas in education and was a huge technology buff. If you wanted to find Carolyn when she wasn't at school, chances are she was at the Apple store or at Best Buys checking out the latest technology.

She was a tough teacher in the classroom -- she didn't take kindly to slackers, but she would go to the wall for any student who needed help or an advocate. She taught my son, and he once said that he learned more in her freshman English class than in any other English class at Columbia. She wanted our students to be able to compete in the world, and she knew they'd only get there by being pushed to move far beyond ordinary. I'm going to miss her terribly. She was an extraordinary human being.

-Mary Brancaccio

When CJ entered the building in the morning everyone would know. I would be working in my classroom and she always gave me the hearty good morning greeting. You knew the day had started. Carolyn was a kind, funny, and straightforward person. You just had to really like her; she was great!

-Beth Dalzell

I have been teaching at CHS since 2004. I got to know Carolyn Johnson when she "held court" during Friday after-school teacher gatherings. At first I thought to myself,  "Who is this boisterous woman raising such a fuss whenever she's around?" But later on I got it. I could see right through all the smoke and mirrors, right through to her absolute dedication as a teacher, not only to her students, but to her colleagues, in providing them with some much needed perspective and relief to their stressful days in her own unique manner. Life is funny. Carolyn's dedication to her students and colleagues is the kind that one could easily take for granted under normal circumstances, but to those whose lives she touched, the sudden loss of her presence will be irreplaceable.

-Jon Fisher

Carolyn was hard-core.  I have never worked with someone who unapologetically held kids to such a high standard.  She worked her kids to raise them to the next level, and accepted no excuses.  I loved working with her and our common students; she was absolutely one of a kind.  CJ always told it like it was; you never had to think about where you stood with her.  She also was one of the most thoughtful people I have been associated with.  When my first daughter was born, and I told her we named her Charlotte Jessica, she immediately smiled and let go of that unmistakable laugh of hers.  I asked what was so funny, and she said, "I know we're tight, Frick, but you didn't have to name your daughter after me.  Another CJ.  How great!"  I will miss her more than I can explain. 

-Dave Frick 

Ms. Carolyn Johnson, who was a faculty member in the English Department at Columbia High School.  All of us are deeply saddened by this news.  Ms. Johnson started her career in the South Orange and Maplewood School District in the fall of 1995, and most recently taught in our Advanced Placement Literature Program.  One of her many passions was teaching in the Bridge to Success Program, which supported incoming freshman students during the summer months.  Throughout her tenure at the school, Ms. Johnson touched the lives of students, faculty and staff.  The results of Ms. Johnson's outstanding teaching and her insistence on high expectations for all students will live on forever.  Her students, in a very real sense, are monuments to Ms. Johnson's life and aspirations to be the consummate educator, and more specifically a teacher of English Language Arts.  As we move forward, as a learning community, we will certainly remember Ms. Johnson for having graciously served our school and countless numbers of students.  

It was a privilege to have known, worked with, and laughed with Ms. Carolyn Johnson.  We will always remember her for many proud moments, but more importantly her life will be a testament to the work she did on behalf of our students.

From Dr. Lilly Lovie's letter to the community.

Carolyn Johnson had a strategy for eliminating the achievement gap: demand that each student work to his or her ability, be fair and supportive, but take no prisoners!  She truly loved her students... and that love was tough. But her students are the better for having known her. Her colleagues and friends certainly are, too. We will miss her mightily.

-Janet Mandel

Carolyn served the district as a teacher for 15 years and was well respected by everyone who worked with her - staff, students, parents, and the entire community. She was a life-long learner and most recently completed the requirements needed to teach Advanced Placement Literature and Composition at Columbia.  She was an inspiring instructor both in her regular English classroom and in the summer Bridge to Success program.

The entire school community mourns her loss; she was much loved and shall be deeply missed.

From Superintendent Brian Osborne's letter to the community.

Carolyn called herself "CHSDiva."  Whenever I was down or in a bad mood, she'd remind me that I was "fierce," and I would tell her that made me "Diva-in-Training". I went to her for advice, to gossip, or just to talk "just because." I didn't always want to hear what she had to say when I asked her opinion, but I knew she was right. She'd say, "You're like my daughter.  Don't make me tell you again."   We'd giggle about stupid things and shared books and music.   I will miss her so much! There will never be another Diva like C.J.  

-Lynn M. Stradford

Thanks to Deb Gomer for the photos of Carolyn Johnson and friends.