Mallett School students say goodbye to three veteran teachers
Three veteran teachers, from left to right: Carla Miller, Ina Austin (getting a hug from a student), and Julia Hennessy, face the Mallett School students in an end-of-year assembly to say goodbye held today.
FARMINGTON - There were plenty of hugs to go around as hundreds of students at W.G. Mallett School said goodbye to three veteran teachers on the last day of this school year.
Teachers Ina Austin, Carla Miller and Julia Hennessy have taught at Mallett School for a combined 99 years. Teaching at both the old and, in its first year, the new Farmington school, Austin has taught kindergarten here for 35 years, first-grade teacher Miller for 30 years and third-grade teacher Hennessy for 34 years. Miller taught eight years before her classroom at Mallett for a 38-year total.
"That's a lot of dedication," Principal Tracy Williams told the students, "that's a lot of teaching."
At the end-of-year assembly held Tuesday morning, the nearly 400 kindergarten through third-grade students wished the retiring teachers a good bye with heart-shaped notes and sweet words of thanks for their classroom years at Mallett School.
Williams read aloud some of the notes that students had written. "You're a really good teacher and I hope you can come back," one student wrote to Miller. Another student said to Miller, "I wish you could stay forever."
"I hope you have a good life," one student's note to Hennessy said. Another, "I will miss you. I even remember that your favorite color is tan. It's tan, isn't it?"
"Miss Austin, you're the best teacher ever," said one of many students who came up to personally give their thanks and hug to their favorite teacher.
Williams gave each a brick from the old Mallett's School memory garden, a certificate of appreciation given by the Mt. Blue district school board and other gifts.
Summer vacation begins Wednesday.
Mallett School Principal Tracy Williams, at left, gives bricks from the old Mallett School's Memory Garden to each of the retiring teachers.
Retiring teacher Carla Miller gets a hug from one of her first-grade students, as Julia Hennessy, at left, looks on.
Retiring third-grade teacher Julia Hennessy smiles as one of her students gives her a goodbye hug during an end-of-year assembly held Tuesday.
Entries(RSS)
Sad sad sad! Wonderful teachers--so sad to see them go! Best of luck to them in their next adventures!
Congratulations Carla and thank you for being such an important part of our children's education! There is no match for a wonderful teacher who cares deeply for children and our community is blessed with so many of them. Thanks to you all!!
My Son had Miss Austin last year she is such a wonderful teacher sad to see you go but good luck with your future
To three former colleagues, soon to be colleagues in retirement:
Congratulations! You've made it. Ina, my daughter remembers you with the greatest fondness: her younger daughter just completed kindergarten, and so you've been much in her mind. Carla and Julia, I remember you in Association and community business, and expect to continue seeing you in similar places.
Now, my friends, comes the hard part. Plan a trip to be out of town when the schoolbell rings this fall. Terry and I were on a mountain in Switzerland, and we still heard it. You'll be ready to respond, but resist!
Expect to wake up planning lessons, to see possible classroom additions in every yard sale, and to miss, really miss, all the features of school life you've found most challenging. You won't have to miss the kids, though, because they'll still be all around you. As for your colleagues, we'll look forward to hearing you say, "I can't believe I ever found the time to go to work!"
My son had Miss Austin She was a wonderful teacher,GOOD LUCK Miss Austin with your future.
My son had two of these 3 teachers. They were gentle when they needed to be, and also firm when they needed to be. They helped shape my son's social and civic views as he continues to enter the ranks at Cascade Brook School. He will be entering 5th grade, and I would like to personally thank Ms. Austin and Ms. Hennessy for their hard work and dedication to the children in our community! Best of luck in your retirement!
Congratulations to these committed teachers for so many years of dedicated service. It was my priviledge to know and work with all three of these teachers through my years on the Mallett PTA. Their dedication to their calling, the love for the children and their contributions to the school and community have not gone unnoticed. Enjoy your retirement, it is well earned.
Thanks Carla, You're awesome and will be greatly missed. Thanks for all you did for our three children. A true loss for the community but a rest well needed and earned
Congratulations Julia on your retirement. I want to thank you for your guidance and wisdom when you took me under your wing during my student teaching 9 years ago. You were a great teacher, mentor and friend. I learned a lot from you and carry that with me in my own classroom!!!
I wish you all the best in your next chapter.
Congratulations!!!
I had pleasure of having 2 of the 3 teachers retiring (Hennessy & Austin). Best of luck to the both of you. Thank you for your dedication not only when I was your student, but for the hundreds of other students you no doubt impacted.
Thanks for your dedication to local education.
Ms. Austin, Retiring....? Already? Wow my daughter Tera had you way back when (1982) and she LOVED You! The school community will miss you! YOU DID MAKE A DIFFERENCE! Just wanted you to hear another thankyou for the special gentle way you handled a very shy little girl! Best wishes to your next adventure!
Enjoy the next chapter in your lives and know that you helped hundreds write the early chapters in theirs! Thank you so much.
To Mrs Miller,
You help me teach my daughter tolerance of other students that were different than her and because of that she now work s with adults that have challenges physically and mentally. I believe that without your gentle soul and the gift of sign language and willingness to have those students in your Kindergarten class taught her that everyone is the same no matter what! Enjoy your retirement and know that your seed is growing that you planted all those years ago. ( She is 19 now.)
Great teachers are priceless. May we never lose sight of that. I'm 56 and still remember every one of mine.
Thank you for all the wonderful comments and wishes. It has been a pleasure.
Julia (Miss) Hennessy
So many years of teaching, one was my second grade teacher. I remember being in her class for a few weeks before I moved to Phillips. Great memories.
Best wishes to all three. All of them were incredible in their field and those of us lucky enough to have shared a school year with any of them have been blessed. My child was honored with two years of Mrs. Miller, what a great start to the school years, couldn't have asked for anyone better and forever grateful.
So sad to see such a wonderful teacher as Miss Hennessey retire. I wish there were more of you out there in the system. Thank you so so much for helping my Brad when he was in your 3rd grade class. Because of you, he is now a honor student at the High School.
Sorry to have such good teachers go. MIss Austin was my son's kindergarten teacher and also taught his dad for kindergarten. What a great way to enter school, feeling a personal connection with a teacher on the first day. Good luck with future plans.
Beautiful tribute here. I had the pleasure of doing a National Poetry Month volunteer project with Julia Hennessey's classes for three years in a row. I wish her and the other retires all the best. A great teacher makes a great difference!
Thanks for all the well wishes. I have enjoyed my years at Mallett because of all the wonderful children that I have had and their parents.
To all of the members of the Mallett School and Wilton school communities: I have had the great pleasure to work within the district with amazing teachers, parents and of course, wonderful children. I will hold in my heart the many successes, joys and challenges that were the part of the years of teaching. I want all to know that I have learned so much from each year's work and I treasure them all. The next step for me will still include working with children and future educators. Thank you for the kind words and sentiments expressed here and in cards or in person. It has been a wonderful ride.
A Tribute:
Although I did not have Julia (Miss) Hennessy in the third grade, I was actually one of her classmates and a close friend in her third grade class in Saco where we grew up. We attended Sweetser school and our third grade teacher was Mrs. Russell. Mrs Russell was an exemplary teacher and also served as principal of the school. We had only the highest respect and love for Mrs Russell, especially on the day John F. Kennedy met his fate in Dallas, Texas. She drew the shades, lowered the flag to half mast and had us put our heads down on our desks in silent prayer. We never forgot that day and neither did Julia. Julia is a beautiful woman who embodies all of the wonderful attributes of a teacher. She is a smart, kind, compassionate, understanding and dedicated individual. The children she taught are looking back now saying "Thank You, Miss Hennessy....for all you did for us". As Mrs. Russell left a legacy to Julia, she now leaves one of her own.