By BRIAN DONOHUE
Emily Doherty, whose 41-year-tenure made her the longest-serving member of Red Bank Regional High School Board of Education in history died recently, school officials announced.
Emily Doherty (in red sweater) in a photo from 2014 when she was honored for 30 years of service on the Red Bank Regional Board of Education. (file photo)
“We are deeply saddened to share the news that longtime RBR Board of Education member Emily Doherty recently passed away” reads a statement by Superintendent Louis Moore and Board of Education President Patrick Noble. “Emily’s compassion, wisdom, and sharp intellect left an enduring impact on our district. “
Doherty died last month, Moore said.
She represented Red Bank on the Board of Education for over forty years, serving from 1983 to 2024 and earning the distinction as the longest-serving member in district history.
Here’s more information included in the statement released by the district:
During her time on the Board, Emily served as the longtime chair of our Curriculum & Assessment and Negotiations Committees, as well as stints as board vice president and president. She also represented RBR to the Monmouth County School Boards Association and New Jersey School Boards Association, the latter of which recognized her last year with the prestigious NJSBA 40 Years Milestone Award.
She was a steadfast advocate of the SOURCE, the arts, and for expanding educational opportunities for all students. Emily was also known for her strong support for innovative programs and was instrumental in bringing the International Baccalaureate program and global-education Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE) program to Red Bank Regional.
At its November 13th meeting, the Board of Education passed a resolution to officially rename our conference room as the Emily Doherty Board Meeting Room in her honor and presented a framed copy of the resolution to her son, John Doherty. Now, school board members for years to come will walk through the door emblazoned with her name as a shining reminder of Emily’s lifelong commitment to public education and service to our community. She will be deeply missed by all.
A 2014 press release honoring her for 30 years of service described Doherty, first elected to the RBR Board in 1983, as “most happy to watch the academic and artistic growth of the school district from the establishment of the Visual & Performing Arts Academy — a facility of which she was a founding board member thirty years ago. She has served as the VPA’s President and Vice President during that time, and has been a strong supporter of RBR’s School Based Youth Service Program – The SOURCE.”
Mrs. Doherty, a long-time educator, received her Masters of Arts in Teaching from Wesleyan Universityand began her teaching career in the Connecticut public school system, according to the 2014 release. For many years, she taught Life Science at Bayshore Middle School for the Middletown School District. She also taught French at Oak Hill Academy, and tutored at Brookdale Community College.
The Doherty family moved to Red Bank in 1973. All four Doherty children are graduates of the Red Bank Boro school district and RBR. While raising her children, Doherty volunteered extensively with the Girl Scouts and the Red Bank public schools. She has worked for the State of New Jersey’s Division of Developmental Disabilities for the past 18 years, where she is currently a case management supervisor. She also worked as a crisis counselor at Riverview Hospital.
redbankgreen editor Brian Donohue may be reached via email at [email protected] or by calling or texting 848-331-8331 or yelling his name loudly as he walks by. Do you value the news coverage provided by redbankgreen? Please become a financial supporter if you haven’t already. Click here to set your own level of monthly or annual contribution.
