The House that Jack Built

THERE’S A STORY about Jack Woodbury that his wife, Janet Woodbury, feels sums him up perfectly. One day, the pair were walking toward Ho -Ho-Kus Public School where they both worked, he as the superintendent, she a teacher. They came upon a forlorn little boy with a quivering chin.

Jack stopped, bent down to the 7-year-old’s eye level and listened intently as he recounted the upsetting start to his day. Janet knew that Jack had a board meeting that night, that the budget was coming up and that he had faculty positions to fill. But in his eyes, this little boy’s problems were just as important as all the weighty issues that would arise throughout the day.

“That was Jack,” Janet wrote in a tribute to her husband for a memorial service held after his passing at age 84 in May of 2024. “Whether he was working to provide the best education possible for the children under his care; crusading for equal rights for all people regardless of race, gender, ethnicity or creed; crafting policy that would forward inclusive goals; or simply talking sports and politics, Jack listened and shared openly of himself.”

Jack, or Dr. Woodbury as his former students will remember him, leaves behind a legacy of love and learning that profoundly shaped the school district he so adored. Now, his memory and convictions will live on in future generations, with the dedication of the school library in his name.

“There couldn’t be a more meaningful place to dedicate to Jack than the library, which was built under his direction as superintendent,” Janet says. “He was an avid reader. And he always said, ‘Work hard, play hard’ or ‘Books and balls,’ as in schoolwork comes first, but get it done and then go play.”

BUILDING A CULTURE OF CARING AND RESPECT

Jack graduated from Wesleyan University in 1961 and went on to receive his master’s degree from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy of Tufts University in 1964.

Janet says he had ambitions of becoming a diplomat with the Foreign Service but became disillusioned with the government. He pivoted, earning a Doctorate in Education from the University of Massachusetts in 1970.

“It’s interesting because diplomacy can come in handy as a school leader,” Janet says. “In order to be a superintendent and principal you really have to be diplomatic.”

Jack taught and held several school administrative positions, including Chief of Staff for the Chancellor of the New York City School System before coming to Ho-Ho-Kus in 1975 as the superintendent.

Dr. Diane Mardy, who recently retired as superintendent of the Ho-Ho-Kus district, was hired as a teacher by Jack in 1978 and says he had a vision for Ho-Ho-Kus and set about making it a reality.

“I often think of Ho-Ho-Kus School as the House that Jack Built,” Mardy says. “He was that much of a changemaker in shifting the culture of the school. Jack made everyone feel special, from the students, families and the staff to the community. He forged relationships that were built upon mutual respect and caring for one another.”

It was at the charming school on Lloyd Road where Jack and Janet met. Janet had started off as a substitute teacher but needed a fulltime job as a newly single mother. She interviewed with Jack in the mid-1980s and was hired first as a 4th grade teacher before moving on to teach 7th and 8th grade social studies, a subject she was passionate about.

Allison Danubio, Jack and Janet’s daughter, spoke at the library dedication, saying that the school is truly where the Woodbury family was born. Jack and Janet married and raised their combined five children together in the borough, in addition to working there.

“Ho-Ho-Kus has been so good to us,” Janet says. “It’s a special town. It’s a family.”

In his 16 years at the helm of the district, Jack’s method of management was walking around the school and its grounds, Janet says. He always thought he could solve more problems observing and dealing with any issues before kids made it to his office, she says. He was visible and approachable to both students and staff.

“You could always knock on his door,” Janet says. “He was also very family oriented and fostered that among staff, families and the board. He had a ‘We’re all in this together’ approach.”

Equality for all people was a cornerstone of Jack’s philosophy in life and education. He hired the first Jewish and black teachers at the school: “If there was a first, he did it,” Janet says. And the teachers he brought on were passionate and enthusiastic, creating a camaraderie amongst staff.

A CALM, STEADY PRESENCE

Ellen Voltzow Theriault, formerly Mrs. Simpson, was hired by Jack in the 1980s and says he encouraged teachers to learn from their colleagues and helped them grow and achieve their potential.

“One of Jack’s best qualities, in my opinion, was his unwavering support of his teachers,” Theriault says. “He was open to innovation. If you could explain why you wanted to try something, he encouraged you to run with your idea.”

Jack’s dedication and leadership were also evident to students.

Chris McVey, class of 1984, says Jack was the “epitome of grace, leadership, kindness, discipline and dignity.” McVey says he could’ve been the boy in Janet’s tribute, with the quivering chin, since he had a challenging home life that coincided with his time at Ho-Ho-Kus School. Jack was a role model to him and he’s sure many others.

“Seeing and engaging with Dr. Woodbury throughout our grammar school years was truly a gift for so many of us,” McVey says. “Running into him around town or at the bagel store when we were lucky enough, was always a special moment. He would always ask about family, siblings and how we were all doing, remembering all names and past updates, even though we were just a few of thousands of people who had passed through the school he led and loved so amazingly.”

Kelly Franey Fieldhouse, class of 1982, fondly remembers Jack walking the halls, taking the time to stop and talk to students. He wasn’t intimidating, despite towering above the students at 6’3.

“He was always there—in the school, at games, on the playground,” Fieldhouse says. “And though a gentle and kind presence, you did not want to have to sit across from him at his desk. He was a gentle leader but had a quiet strength. He emanated a ‘Do the right thing’ kind of vibe.”

K.C. Smith, class of 1984, knows what Fieldhouse means.

“He was a calm voice of reason, fair and balanced in how he managed the student body,” Smith says. “He always provided the right dose of discipline and compassion with kids like me whose shenanigans were worthy of correction.”

Ho-Ho-Kus Board of Education President Mary Ellen Nye grew up in Ho-Ho-Kus and says Jack was the “tall superintendent always in a suit.” He would seem stern at times but then crack a smile at the front of the auditorium, Nye says; students knew he was in charge, but adored him.

When Nye grew up and moved back to Ho-Ho-Kus and became a Board of Education trustee, she often turned to him for advice and counsel.

“He tried to get me to call him Jack, but that never worked for me. He was always Dr. Woodbury,” she says. “He was wise and helpful in a number of situations that I had never encountered before.”

Vance Edelson, class of 1982, recalls trying to match Jack’s long strides

as he followed him through the schoolyard when the superintendent insisted on seeing for himself how Edelson’s bike was vandalized during school hours. Edelson remarks that students’ respect for their superintendent was evident, as the crowd of upperclassmen parted for Jack.

“While he couldn’t fix my bike, it made me feel a little better that I had gotten such attention from the very top,” Edelson says. “He was a wonderful person.”

Current Superintendent Linda Bovino-Romeo, who took over for Mardy last month, grew up in Ho-Ho-Kus and attended the school when Jack was superintendent. She says she often reflects on the legacy of Dr. Woodbury as a “calm, steady presence” and “someone who led with both strength and compassion.”

“What stood out most was how deeply he cared about children and how genuinely connected he was to the school community,” Bovino-Romeo says. “He supported his faculty and staff wholeheartedly and was

a familiar, reassuring face at school events, whether visiting classrooms, attending play rehearsal or cheering on our teams.”

Bovino-Romeo says when she thinks of Jack, she recalls how, when he needed the students’ attention, he would simply stand at the front of the room with his arms crossed—calm and quiet—and within moments, all 600 kids would fall silent.

“That quiet command spoke volumes,” she says. “Dr. Woodbury didn’t just hold a position—he had a presence. He truly loved being around the school, and that love was felt by all who knew him.”

Though Jack retired from Ho-Ho-Kus School in 1991, he wasn’t done making a difference for children. He continued his service to students of New Jersey by acting as the state’s Deputy Commissioner of Education.

And even after fully retiring, Jack was sought out as an expert in education leadership and was often quoted in prominent newspapers and influential publications. He never stopped advocating for education.

Janet, a beloved teacher in her own right, retired from Ho-Ho-Kus in 2005 and moved on to tutoring; “I just love kids,” she says. She and Jack enjoyed traveling in their retirement, she says, mostly to visit with family. But even at home, Jack was “never bored for a minute in his life.”

“He had so many interests,” Janet says. “He read the New York Times cover-to-cover every day. He was an avid, avid reader. He played sports when he was younger and followed sports when he was older. He was a great communicator, keeping in touch with family and friends. He loved politics. And he had friends he would get breakfast with from time to time, which was important to him.”

Ever humble, Jack would be surprised and touched by the school’s dedication of the library to him, Janet says, adding that he wouldn’t have known that he had made such an impact.

But he did, through the simple but rare acts of listening attentively, inquiring thoughtfully, genuinely caring and making each person he encountered feel important.

“He always taught us that what was most important was how you related to others and how they would then move forward being better for having known you,” Mardy says. “We thank you, Jack, for our being blessed to have known you. And may Jack’s guiding, caring and loving spirit live on and continue to help lead the way for future generations of Ho-Ho-Kus students, staff and community.”

BY SARAH NOLAN