Shortly after school on a warm Tuesday, Greenbriar School community members gathered at an outdoor dedication on May 21 to pay tribute to the memory of Mary Porcaro of Northbrook.
Porcaro taught kindergarten at Greenbriar School, at the same school her three children, Cami, Bobby, and Hayley attended, and within walking distance to the Northbrook home where she and her husband Bob Porcaro resided with their children. All three Porcaro children attended Glenbrook North High School.
The outdoor classroom called “Porcaro’s Place” is in a southeast corner behind the Greenbriar School building.
The dedication of Porcaro’s Place, honoring the late Mary Porcaro of Northbrook, on May 21, 2024 at Greenbriar School in Northbrook. (Karie Angell Luc/Pioneer Press)
“This place is so perfect for Mary’s memory,” said Mary’s husband Bob. “This is what she would have wanted.”
Son Bobby Porcaro of Chicago’s Lake View was stunned by the dedication’s large attendance in that, “I just can’t believe how many people.
“I know everyone loved her but it’s still crazy to see the turnout,” Bobby said, adding Mary chose to not be the center of attention, “but this is the one thing she’d be okay with.
From left to right are Cami Porcaro of Chicago’s Lake View, accompanied by siblings Hayley Porcaro of Denver, Colorado, Bobby Porcaro, also of Lake View with their father Bob Porcaro of Northbrook along and family pup Sunny, 5, a female mixed breed rescue dog, at the dedication of Porcaro’s Place, honoring the late Mary Porcaro of Northbrook, on May 21, 2024 at Greenbriar School in Northbrook. (Karie Angell Luc/Pioneer Press)
“I think they just knocked this out of the park.”
Mature trees offer shade here. Permanent fixtures plus pathways make possible outdoor learning in a preferred spot for Porcaro who would bring classmates outside to this spot.
Here, Porcaro’s kindergartners would play in the snow, get fresh air, fly airplanes, and set free butterflies they raised as classroom science activities. There were pet beetles, friendly creatures explained by their teacher, known as “Mrs. P.”
“This was our makeshift garden,” said Nanette Adatto, Mary’s kindergarten teaching assistant and friend, speaking to dedication attendees on a breezy sunny afternoon at 86 degrees.
“We all spent so much time out here,” Adatto said, “laughing and reading books. Mary’s spirit is here.”
Nanette Adatto of Northbrook speaks about her friend and colleague, the late Mary Porcaro of Northbrook. Taken at the dedication of Porcaro’s Place, honoring the late Mary Porcaro of Northbrook, on May 21, 2024 at Greenbriar School in Northbrook. (Karie Angell Luc/Pioneer Press)
Mary Porcaro, 61, was also remembered by the Greenbriar community on March 19, 2023, with a #PathofKindnessNorthbrook outdoor walking path event held in her honor. Many took recipe cards for Mary’s renowned chocolate chip cookies.
She retired in 2021 but substitute taught at Greenbriar School, and also drove a school bus for District 30 Wescott School. Porcaro died on March 2, 2023, on Interstate 294 northbound near Sanders Road. Illinois State Police said Porcaro was struck by a car and declared deceased at the scene.
One year later, Porcaro’s family returned to Greenbriar School to publicly acknowledge the community in a special place where Mary Porcaro spent a significant portion of her adult life.
“My family is super, super thankful for all that the school did and for everyone that donated,” said Hayley Porcaro of Denver, Colorado.
“There’s no better way to honor my mom than this so we’re just all really appreciative for it on behalf of the Porcaro family,” Hayley said.
Launching Porcaro’s Place, “was certainly a collaborative effort,” said Ginny Hiltz, Greenbriar School principal.
Hiltz credited Green City Gardens and recognized the “many generous donations,” from the Greenbriar (PTO) Parent Teacher Organization, the Gianaras Family Foundation, Girl Scout Troop 45601, the Porcaro family plus more than 130 private donors, “who helped us raise more than $36,000 to make our dream of this space into a reality,” Hiltz said.
Initial space planning for gravel and wooden benches was made possible by an anonymous $10,000 donation to the school in 2022, Hiltz said.
Cami Porcaro, also of Lake View, addressed the audience during the dedication.
Cami said Greenbriar School became, “her happy place as Mrs. P.
“This was truly her happy place,” Cami again affirmed. “As my mom would say, ‘Shine on.’”
The three siblings appeared in front of the audience with family pup Sunny, 5, a female Jack Russell mixed breed dog their mother adopted from Wagging Hearts animal rescue in Hainesville in Lake County (http://wagginghearts.org/about-us/contact-us/).
“She (Mary) found her (Sunny),” Cami said. “She (Mary) was so cute, she sent us her (Sunny’s) picture, we didn’t believe that she was actually going to get the dog and she’s like, ‘I’m going to pick her up today,’ we couldn’t believe it,” Cami recalled. “Bobby went with her.”
Hazel Vorda, 11, a Greenbriar School fifth-grader, was a student speaker and had Mrs. P as a kindergarten teacher.
Seated in pink shirt is Hazel Vorda, 11, a Greenbriar School fifth-grader. Hazel was the student speaker at the dedication of Porcaro’s Place, honoring the late Mary Porcaro of Northbrook, on May 21, 2024 at Greenbriar School in Northbrook. (Karie Angell Luc/Pioneer Press)
“Mrs. P believed in every single one of us in such a special way which was what made her such an amazing teacher and person,” Hazel said. “She deserves this dedication for the way that she made me and others feel on the inside,” Hazel said.
Hazel’s mother Jennifer Vorda was, “extremely proud,” the school asked Hazel to speak.
“Mrs. P was such a special part of her experience here at Greenbriar,” Jennifer Vorda said.
“She (Mary Porcaro) really made kindergarten, not just for Hazel, but for so many of these kids with her warmth,” Hazel’s mother added.
Mary Porcaro’s mother, Eileen Warga of Glenview attended and said the garden is “lovely.
“It’s gorgeous,” said Warga, who added her daughter, Mary, “would love it.
”She always didn’t want the highlights (attention) on her,” Mary’s mother said, “but she would love it.”
Refreshments were served and colorful kindness bracelets honoring Mary Porcaro were offered in adult and child sizes.
Ginny Hiltz said kindergartners soon, “will have finished raising their butterflies from caterpillars in science class.
Audience members during the dedication of Porcaro’s Place, honoring the late Mary Porcaro of Northbrook, on May 21, 2024 at Greenbriar School in Northbrook. (Karie Angell Luc/Pioneer Press)
“This was always a favorite unit of Mary’s as it combined her love of student discovery and care for nature and the world around us.
“When the butterflies are ready, students will release them here in memory of Mary and her dedication to Greenbriar and her kind and loving spirit,” Hiltz said.
“We know that classes of students for years to come will benefit from this space in her honor.”
Karie Angell Luc is a freelancer for Pioneer Press.
