Ms. Millie, East Broadway Elementary School's Beloved Lunch Monitor

A significant portion of the following was provided to Patch by Syntax, which issues press releases on behalf of the Levittown School District.

Mildred Bowman, better known as “Ms. Millie,” is a lunch monitor at .

Ms. Millie is very good at remembering numbers, which is a great skill to have when you have so many to remember. She is 87 years old, has been married to her husband for 65 years, and has been a Levittown resident almost 59 years. She grew up in Brooklyn, and moved to Levittown in 1953. She has three children, five grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. She has been at East Broadway since June 2, 1974 and prior to that she worked in the kitchen at Wisdom Middle School (one year) and Division Avenue High School (four years). 

What does she love about her job? That was an easy question. “The children,” Ms. Millie said without hesitation. “I enjoy listening to them and playing with them.” 

And they undoubtedly feel the same way. When the MacArthur High School peer leaders came to East Broadway in November to read to the students, they gathered in the cafeteria, where Principal Wink had given them cookies. Many were moved to tears when they saw that Ms. Millie was still a lunch monitor at the school. She hugged them all and commented at how tall they’d all grown.

"She takes her work seriously and she takes the time to learn the names of the students in her care," said East Broadway Principal Jeanmarie Wink. "She often brings in "smarties "as treats for the children and always has some loose change for those students who may be short some lunch money.  She never asks for anything in return.'

“I love watching them grow up. It’s wonderful when they come back to visit,” Ms. Millie said. "It was obvious that these high school seniors felt the same way."

"Mille makes East Broadway extra special," said Wink. "She comes to work each day with high energy and a positive outlook. The children and staff adore her."

"All of us at East Broadway are a little bit better because of Millie," she added. "I hope she never retires!"

Ms. Millie played a central role in Seaford's "fine dining" event held Dec. 23 at East Broadway. The event was featured in Newsday (subscription required).