Published June 19, 2019
By DAN TOMASELLO
LYNNFIELD — The School Committee honored seven retiring teachers on June 11.
High school special education teacher Andrea Knight, Huckleberry Hill School physical education teacher Mary Robertson and elementary reading specialist Mary Vardaro appeared at the school board’s meeting in order to be recognized. Middle school physical education teacher Elisa Burns, high school English teacher Sue Carroll, seventh grade English teacher Gail Piccinni and Lynnfield High Math Department Head Marylou Sambatakos were unable to attend the meeting due to scheduling conflicts.
“These teachers have over 160 combined years of dedication to Lynnfield Public Schools,” said School Committee Chairman Jamie Hayman. “It’s always nice to recognize teachers who have been here and have dedicated themselves to kids and families.”
Superintendent Jane Tremblay agreed.
“I would like to thank each of you for your service to our students,” said Tremblay. “You have done an extraordinary job. It’s hard for me to believe that we will be opening the schools in August and I won’t see any of your faces. I wish you the very, very best in your retirement.”
Hayman presented books to the three retirees as a retirement gift. He gave Vardaro, who worked for the school system for 21 years, a book about the United States’ national parks. He presented Knight, who taught in Lynnfield for 21 years, with a New England Patriots history book. He gave Robertson, who worked for the school system for 30 years, a book about flowers and plants.
THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE honored three out of seven retiring teachers on June 11. Front row, from left, high school special education teacher Andrea Knight, elementary reading specialist Mary Vardaro and Huckleberry Hill physical education teacher Mary Robertson. Back row, from left, SC Vice Chairman Rich Sjoberg, Superintendent Jane Tremblay, SC Chairman Jamie Hayman, SC member Tim Doyle and SC member Stacy Dahlstedt. (Dan Tomasello Photo)
All three teachers thanked the School Committee for the generous gifts.
“This is perfect,” said Vardaro.
Tremblay noted the four other retirees will be receiving books as well.
In addition to recognizing the three teachers in attendance, three retirees who were unable to attend the meeting provided statements that Tremblay read to the School Committee.
“It has been my honor and pleasure to have spent my entire 29-year teaching career at Lynnfield Middle School,” Burns wrote. “I would like to thank the administration, staff, students and parents of Lynnfield for their support both professionally and personally. I will always be proud to say that I taught in this wonderful community. Thank you Lynnfield.”
Piccinni concurred with Burns’ viewpoint.
“I am so lucky and grateful to have had the opportunity to dedicate many years of my lifework to the Lynnfield Public School system,” Piccinni wrote. “About 25 years ago, I moved to Lynnfield and stopped into the Superintendent’s Office to fill out a permanent substitute application. Filling out that substitute teacher application was one of the best decisions I have ever made. Lynnfield welcomed me into its wonderful school system. Working as a paraprofessional and permanent substitute teacher eventually led me to my permanent position at Lynnfield Middle School as a grade 7 English teacher. There, I got to know the wonderful kids, teachers and parents of this town I am lucky enough to call my home.
“I loved being an English teacher at Lynnfield Middle School,” Piccinni continued. “As much as I was able to challenge and teach my students over the years, they have challenged and taught me more. I also worked with wonderful people, both teachers and administrators, all of whom only want the best for their students. Lynnfield is a great place to live and to work. Thank you for letting me be a part of a wonderful school system.”
Carroll, who worked for Lynnfield Public Schools for the 15 years, echoed her fellow retirees’ sentiment.
“I have enjoyed my years working in Lynnfield,” Carroll wrote. “It has truly been an enriching experience for me. I mastered more technology than I ever knew existed and had fun at the same time. I was continually impressed by the investment in the children provided by the faculty and administration.”
Carroll said working in Lynnfield was “a blessing.”
“I will miss watching my students pondering what makes a life that matters or struggling to define hope and the importance of dreaming,” Carroll wrote. “I will miss all of the young teachers who helped me learn the mysteries of the right click and batch entry of comment and grades. And I will miss the veteran teachers who offered their support when I started here 15 years ago.
“I read once that the only people who make more decisions in a day than teachers are air traffic controllers. Continue to give the kids hope and to be kind to each other and to yourselves. I will miss you. Thank you.”
