Paula J. Czyrklis

CZYRKLIS, PAULA J. of Ashland formerly of Norwood passed away on April 7, 2024 at the age of 66, surrounded by family. Beloved mother of Caitlin N. Little (McHugh) and her husband Richard of W. Boylston and Casey R. Czyrklis of Ashland. Sister of Ellen C. Carpino and her husband Tony of Norton. Beloved Choo-Choo of Marc Carpino and his wife Shannon of E. Providence, Andrew Carpino of Norton and Jacqueline Carpino of Norton. She is also survived by three other nephews and a niece, whom she loved dearly. She was the eldest daughter of the late Edward J. and Carolyn A. (Pratt) Czyrklis. Paula was also a grandmother to many grandfur babies whom she adored and was looking forward to having human grandbabies one day. She loved her family more than anything, especially her two children, whom she would have done anything for.

Paula graduated from Norwood High School and then went to Boston College, earning her Bachelor's Degree in Elementary and Special Education. She went on to have a long career in Special Education and was a fierce advocate for her students. She started her teaching career at St. Gregory’s School in Dorchester, then became a teacher at The New England Center for Children, where she really developed her love for working with children with disabilities. Paula was a teacher in the Ashland Public School District for almost two decades; during this time, she earned her Master’s in Literacy and Curriculum from Lesley University while going to night school as a single mother of two children under six. In 2007, Paula started her career in Special Education Administration after completing an additional Master’s Degree in School Administration from Boston University. She worked as the Assistant Director of Special Education in the Waltham Public Schools and then as the Special Education Coordinator Elementary and Acting Special Education Director in the Watertown Public Schools, where she worked to better the programs and services district-wide for individuals with disabilities. Paula retired in 2021 and lived out her lifelong dream of moving to Ireland. She lived in Ireland for a year, working on an additional Master’s Degree in Disability Law from NUI Galway, which she was about to complete at the time of her passing. She was passionate about travel and genealogy, and while in Europe, she visited her ancestral homelands of Ireland and Poland and researched family genealogy.

Visiting hours will be held on Thursday, April 11, 2024 from 4-8pm at the Kraw-Kornack Funeral Home 1248 Washington St. Norwood, MA 02062. A funeral home service will be held on Friday, April 12, 2024 at 11am followed by a burial at Highland Cemetery, Norwood, MA. In lieu of flowers donations may be made in her name to BayPath Humane Society in Hopkinton, MA where she adopted her baby Bianca.

https://baypathhumane.org/support-us/tribute/

We also ask that you write to your legislator in support of The Thrive Act, legislation to eliminate the MCAS graduation requirement in the state of Massachusetts. Paula felt the MCAS graduation requirement discriminated against special education students and was passionate that everyone who completed the classwork should receive a high school diploma.