TOMS RIVER – While teachers are the face of education, there are a lot of professionals behind the scenes who go above and beyond to make sure that each child feels valued and that their needs are met.
Monique Reed, a school psychiatrist at Toms River High School North, is one of those professionals.
Katie Zeoli told The Toms River Times that her son struggled with mental health issues throughout his time at the school and Reed’s care and compassion over the course of four years is what got him where he is today.
“Her gentle nature and caring attitude has made her office a safe place for my son when he needed a place to go. She is by far the most caring, genuine, sincere person I have ever personally dealt with in all aspects of dealing with my son’s mental health,” she said.
Her son started visiting her office during his freshman year, and now he is a graduate.
The family surprised her one day, bringing in a gift basket, which included a $150 gift card so she could have a spa day.
Also included was a handwritten letter from her son, giving his personal appreciation for all her care.
“She has always had his best interest no matter how tired or overwhelmed she was. My son has definitely made her job difficult and challenging at times and she handled it with love and compassion every single time,” Zeoli said.
“The truth is, I wish I can take all the credit for seeing my son graduate. This is just not the case,” she said. “If it wasn’t for Mrs. Reed and her accommodations and resources, we would not have made it this far.”
