If you happen to pass a friendly, peaceful lady walking around the main floor office you are probably looking at Mrs. Pollak. Mrs. Pollak “checks all the boxes” as an alumni of Brebeuf, a parent in Brebeuf’s community, and a current faculty/staff member.
Mrs. Pollak works undercover in the Brebeuf community to ensure the good health of students. Though some may not know Mrs. Pollak by face, she makes a huge difference in a lot of students’ lives and she deserves additional recognition.
Avani Chugh ‘26 emphasizes, “I would describe Mrs. Pollak as super understanding. Like no matter what it is, she is there to listen and she actually understands you. She’s super generous and she always lets me eat her snacks.”
Diving deeper into Mrs. Pollak: she has a husband, 2 daughters (ages 16 and 13), and 2 dogs (basset hounds). Mrs. Pollak begins her day at 4:30am by talking to her dogs and taking her kids to morning swim practice.
When waking up, Mrs. Pollak confirms “I wish I could turn back time and not get my kids involved in swimming (just kidding),” which showcases her complete lack of enjoyment in being up that early. She takes a quick look at her phone and hops into the shower.
On a regular day, Mrs. Pollak does not eat breakfast. When she does it usually consists of more savory items like a bagel or breakfast sandwich on top of her usual coffee. After breakfast she gets up and running for work and leaves at 7:40am.
Mrs. Pollak confirms, “Every day is different but, in general, my job is to support and advocate for the mental health needs of our students and our school community.” She says her job is never boring for this exact reason; every day is a new day.
The best part of Mrs. Pollak’s job, in her opinion, is when students come in to give updates about their lives after a tough time. This brings her joy to see the distance they have come and the end of the race they have been running.
On the complete opposite hand, the worst part of her job is when people lose hope. Mrs. Pollak says, “When things get so dark that someone can’t see the ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ and they don’t believe they will ever feel good or happy again.” Her job is to show them that the bad is not permanent and the sun will shine again.
Another student, Alexis Harasty ‘26, goes on to confirm, “I would describe Mrs. Pollak as genuinely caring and there to help out all who come to her.”
For lunch Mrs. Pollak will usually eat something quick while chatting with students or coworkers who stop for candy. Her office is always open and visitors bring joy to Mrs. Pollak.
During Mrs. Pollak’s breaks/vacations, she likes to travel and be one with nature. She prefers a boat or beach while indulging in Mexican food and watching true crime Netflix shows with her family and friends.
A hidden talent of Mrs. Pollak’s is her ability to drive stick shift cars. Additionally, if you ever see her walking in the info commons, make sure to ask her for help on the puzzles because she is also a pro.
“Mrs. Pollak is someone who is super understanding and cares about all students,” said Sophia Reed ‘25.
After a long day of bettering lives, Mrs. Pollak leaves Brebeuf at 3:45pm. On the way home she jams out to the radio typically and during Christmas time only listens to Christmas music.
When arriving home Mrs. Pollak will start a workout. After this she will enjoy her family time and get to bed by 10:30pm.
