Substitute teachers are given the unique opportunity to interact with a broad variety of students at Woodgrove High School, constantly switching around from subject to subject, room to room. With their futures ahead of them and just a few years behind them, students can learn from hearing recounted stories, advice, and life journeys from successful individuals. Well-known and beloved substitute teacher Dr. Joseph Pelkofski, who warmly introduces himself as Dr. P, has re-entered the high school setting as a retired adult. He goes from classroom to classroom, offering assistance and warm smiles to Woodgrove students. What could have inspired his decision to come back into the high school environment, even after years of a successful career? Pelkofski explained it with a smile, saying, “I enjoy it. It is energizing. The enthusiasm of the students is contagious.”

Woodgrove Substitute Dr. Joseph Pelkofski grew up in a small town that did not have a high school, and his older sister had an unpleasant experience attending a neighboring school. Recognizing the need for a change, Pelkofski’s mother took initiative and appealed to their district for transfer to a better school in an adjacent county. Permission for Pelkofski was granted. When the time came for substitute teachers to fill in at Pelkofski’s school, they filled the classroom with stories and knowledge from their unique and poignant lives. He described, “I liked that they brought in a different, personal note. They would be older and more experienced, and we would hear war stories from WWII from the substitutes.” The environment in high school when Pelkofski was a student was notably different from the environment at Woodgrove today. “We all stood and pledged allegiance in my high school. It was a different world. We had to have air raid drills because we had just gone through conflicts,” Pelkofski continued. “Having just gone through WWII and the Korean War, we experienced such a great kind of loss. Our student body at Woodgrove in this day and age has not experienced that kind of loss. They don’t know that. It’s not their fault. It is just an experience they have never had- fortunately, of course. No one should like wars.” 

After his own high school experience, Pelkofski went on to further his education, first at NYU studying history and biology. In recovery from a football-related concussion, Pelkofski had time to reflect on his future goals, and spent time observing his biology teacher in hopes of getting a glimpse of his life 30 years down the road. “I listened to the professors and questioned if it was really me, if it was really where I wanted to be. I talked to my sister about my dilemma, and she suggested being a doctor of some kind.” Following his sister’s advice, Pelkofski continued seeking direction by talking to his family physician. After learning that the physician, in hindsight, would rather be an oral surgeon, Pelkofski had the ironic realization, “Oh my goodness! The physician wants to be a dentist!” This was the turning point that brought Pelkofski to Tufts Dental School in Boston for four years. “I loved Boston. It was like one great college town the size of a city,” he described. While working on renting and selling sailboats during the summers at Cape Cod, Pelkofski met his wife. His career began in an oral surgery internship in New York, eventually leading him to work at a practice in Falls Church, VA. Another grand success of his career came after this when he opened his own practice here in Loudoun County. After retirement, Pelkofski had no intention of ceasing to work. “I grew up on a farm, so I have never not worked. Work was not a bad four letter word—work was life. I knew in closing my practice I had to do something,” he recounted. 

“What I find particularly enjoyable is the enthusiasm from the students. Rather than coming home and feeling tired, I feel charged up,” Pelkofski explained. “The most unusual experience I have had here,” Pelkofski said through laughter, “was when I subbed in on one of the career classes. I was focused on some students on one end of the room, and heard commotion from the other side of the room. I looked over and noticed one of the boys had barber shears and was giving one of the boys a haircut right there in the middle of class. When I told them it was not a good idea, they laughed and offered to give me one too!” This amusing shock led Pelkofski to a conversation with Dr. Shipp. Pelkofski warned him about a video taken of a student giving a friend a haircut during class. Still remembering the moment four years later, Pelkofski recounted the endearing response from Shipp, saying, “His response was ‘If that’s the biggest problem I have to deal with, then I’m okay.’” 

Following his success of being an oral surgeon with his own practice, Dr. Pelkofski puts his knowledge and social skills to work at Woodgrove. He continues to be a fantastic asset to the success of our community, this time in the four walls of our beloved school.