It may be a coincidence that the Great Neck Public School’s colors are the same as the New York Mets’, but the coincidence carried a greater meaning Wednesday afternoon when administrators and staff played on the newly named Teresa Prendergast Memorial Field named after the late superintendent and dedicated Mets fan.
“Teresa was a lifelong educator who made a remarkable impact on so many lives, including countless students, staff and community members in Great Neck,” Superintendent Kenneth Bossert said. “I know everyone here has such fond memories of their interactions with her, whether through personal conversation at a school function or within our beautiful community.”
Prendergast died from a ruptured brain aneurysm on June 10, 2023, at the age of 60. She had been the district’s superintendent for eight years. She was set to retire just a month prior to her death to become principal of Sacred Heart Academy in Hempstead.
Dozens gathered before the faculty North vs. South baseball game for the dedication of the Great Neck South High School baseball field Wednesday, including Prendergast’s family, students, community members and district employees.
Faculty members were adorned in blue-and-orange baseball jerseys customized with their names and numbers on the backs and “Great Neck P.S.” written across their chests.
A portion of the jersey sale proceeds go directly to the Dr. Teresa Prendergast Foundation for Children and faculty members vowed to wear them every Friday. More than $1,000 was donated.
Her daughter, Megan Prendergast, wearing a jersey with “Prendergast” written on the back, threw the first pitch of the game.
In tandem with the field being renamed after her, a plaque was unveiled dedicated to the late educator.
The plaque, which was built by members of the district’s Buildings & Grounds team under the direction of Director Alfredo Cavallaro, paid homage to Prendergast’s love in identifying her not just as a dedicated educator and devoted to her family but also as an ”avid New York Mets fan.”
Multiple members of the Great Neck community exchanged words honoring Prendergast’s memory.
“We had the privilege of sharing in the daily energy and encouragement that Teresa exuded for almost eight years here in Great Neck,” Board of Education Trustee Donna Peirez said. “One only needed to hear the ‘click click click’ of her high heels or see that mane of luxurious red hair to know that she was entering a room. Once she entered, she exuberantly greeted each person with warmth and joy.”
Assistant Superintendents of Curriculum and Instruction Stephen Lando described Prendergast’s cabinet as a family that worked together towards accomplishments while still having fun.
“At one cabinet meeting she provided a glimpse into Teresa – her sense of humor and fun – when she challenged us to guess her middle name,” Lando said. “Even after being provided with the initial ‘B,’ none of us came close and I bet no one here would come close either.”
Although Lando never shared Prendergast’s middle name with the crowd, he did share a plethora of other fond memories he and many others had of her.
Lando held back tears as he recollected the moments, which extended beyond her professional accomplishments and showed the care and deep connections she fostered with those around her.
For Lando, he remembered the conversations he had with Prendergast sharing their excitement for their children’s weddings and grandchildren on the way.
“Children first, family first,” Lando said in describing Prendergast and the day’s event.
Multiple elected officials also presented awards and honors to Prendergast’s family, including a staff representative for Rep. Tom Suozzi, who gifted the family an American flag that flew over the United States Capitol in memory of Prendergast.
Town of North Hempstead District 4 Councilmember Christine Liu read a quote from former Ford Motor Co. President Lee Iacocca: “Apply yourself. Get all the education you can, but then, by god, do something. Don’t just stand there, make it happen.”
“And Teresa, by god, she made it happen here in Great Neck,” Liu said.
Although Bossert never got to work alongside Prendergast, he said he has learned about her in the past months by sitting in the office she once occupied.
“It can be an overwhelming task,” Bossert said of the superintendent position. “But what I hope for Teresa is that she found it to be as rewarding as I do, and I hope she had occasions like today to see the impact she had in the time she gave up herself to this district and this community. This is a better place for her having served as their leader.”
