St. Francis Solanus
Bidding a Fond and Grateful Fa A
s the new school year gets underway, we extend our gratitude to our retiring St. Francis teachers. This month, we’ve asked our retiring teachers two questions regarding their experiences as educators: 1. How has being a Steward for Christ (in your giving and receiving) been reflected in your teaching career at St. Francis? 2. Share your story or something significant about teaching at St. Francis. We are happy to now share with you some of their reflections and memories of forming our children in education and faith. Carla Slough — retiring this year My teaching career at St. Francis and other Quincy Catholic schools has been a gift! While I was teaching and sharing my faith with my class (and faculty members at times), I was receiving so much more. Because of being immersed in this rich faith-based career, my faith has increased tremendously! Witnessing the innocence and faith of children has been a privilege. I thank God that He put this career in my path, and it never occurred to me to do anything else. I think that has been God’s way of telling me to teach, but also to teach in the Catholic School system. I felt it was my job not only to teach them, but to love them and take care of them every day. We are all a part of God’s family, and the children have been a daily reminder for me to grow in patience, understanding, compas-
4
sion, and to look for Jesus in everyone. I hope I have been an example for my students to help them grow closer to Jesus. St. Francis is home. I was baptized in this parish and grew up here. I went from kindergarten through eighth grade in this very building. I have many wonderful memories of going to school here. I am teaching in what was once my fifth-grade classroom. My favorite teacher was Inez Neuser, who I had for fourth grade. She was a wonderful, faithfilled woman who could make you feel very special and loved. I have always hoped I could convey the same feelings to my students. Dennis, my husband, is my best friend. We have been married almost 44 years. Together, we have two grown children, Nathan and Erin. They are both married with families of their own, giving us five grandchildren. I am actually lucky enough to have taught my own children and three of my grandchildren! Besides so many wonderful children and families, I have made some very dear friends with fellow teachers. I will have taught 36 years in the Catholic schools in Quincy at the end of this school year. What a blessing this has been for me! It is a very bittersweet time now as I think of retiring. I’m excited to have the time to do the many things I could not do while teaching. However, it is a bit heart-wrenching to let go of a lifetime of working with God’s children and all the fun I have had teaching. Vicky Mitchell — retired last year For 43 years of my teaching career, being a steward for Christ was precisely the reason I chose to teach in a Catholic school. I could not imagine being in a school where prayer was not allowed, Mass was not an option, and religious activities were not a part of the curriculum. There were so
