Pam Weafer (left) is retiring from serving as director of Cathedral Preschool in Owensboro after 16 years in that position, and will be succeeded by Holly Pfeifer (right). ELIZABETH WONG BARNSTEAD | WKC
Retiring after 26 years, Weafer hands Preschool Cathedral reins to Pfeifer
BY ELIZABETH WONG BARNSTEAD, THE WESTERN KENTUCKY CATHOLIC
Pam Weafer has worked at Cathedral Preschool in Owensboro for 26 years, and served as the preschool’s third director for 16 of those years.
She retires at the end of the school year and will be succeeded by Holly Pfeifer. The two sat down with The Western Kentucky Catholic on March 10 to discuss the bittersweet transition.
Weafer said her favorite part of working at Cathedral Preschool has been “teaching the religion classes.”
“It’s the very basics; simple concepts,” said Weafer, but added that “I love to see how they can understand the concepts. Today, for example, we talked about forgiveness.”
She said she will miss the familial community of the preschool families and the preschool staff: “It just feels like a happy place to be.”
Weafer has countless fond memories from her more than two decades of serving at the preschool, which is a ministry of St. Stephen Cathedral in Owensboro.
She said the three-year-old students always put on an Easter parade for the rest of the school, which includes making paper plate “Easter bonnets.”
Weafer chuckled and recalled that one year, a parent told her that her daughter insisted on wearing the “bonnet” for Easter Mass.
Some of her other favorite memories have included celebrating St. Patrick’s Day with the students, and teaching the children about the National Day of Prayer, which takes place annually on the first Thursday of May. For that day, they traditionally decorate the school with red, white and blue streamers, and have even taught the kids “God Bless America” – in sign language.
The COVID-19 pandemic has been a huge challenge, but Weafer is thankful for the “cooperation of the families.”
“They were very trusting of us,” said Weafer, of reopening the preschool after the initial shutdown in 2020. “They want the same thing, to be healthy and safe. And there has been no spread of COVID, the flu, or strep throat this year at all!”
Pfeifer, who is currently training to prepare for taking over as director, said she is thankful to be inheriting “such a well-oiled machine” from Weafer.
“So much care has been given to the structure, processes and expertise of the staff,” said Pfeifer, who is also a teacher at the preschool. “I am set up for success.”
Pfeifer said five of her seven children attended Cathedral Preschool, “so I am very familiar with and pleased with the program. Pam taught two of my kids!”
She said her twofold expertise of being a preschool parent and also a teacher will be helpful in guiding Cathedral Preschool.
“I grew up in the Catholic community here in Owensboro, and I have a commitment to this mission,” said Pfeifer.
Originally printed in the April 2021 issue of The Western Kentucky Catholic.
