Four long-time educators say their farewells

The Greenfield Elementary school community gathered Friday afternoon in the school multi-purpose room to celebrate four longtime educators who are retiring from the ConVal district this year.

Together, their service to the ConVal district totals over 90 years.

“It’s a lot. It’s really significant, and they will all be missed,” said GES principal Shawne Hilliard. “We’ve been so fortunate to have these educators in our community.”

Retiring this year are preschool teacher Trish Fletcher, special education teacher Maria Gendron, paraprofessional Debbie Creekmore, and paraprofessional Pamela Donoghue.

All four were surrounded by students, as well as grateful parents, coming to give hugs and cards.

Debbie Creekmore has worked for the ConVal district for 21 years.

“I started with Trish at the preschool here 21 years ago, was here for four years. I worked in preschool, different grades in elementary school, then I did a little middle school, some high school, and back here to preschool, where I started, ” Creekmore said. “It’s been a wonderful career.”

Creekmore said working with children has been the joy of her life.

“I’m really, really going to miss it. I love kids; I just adore children,” she said. “Being here, and this celebration, it is really hitting me how much I’m going to miss it. I may come back and volunteer.”

Creekmore said she “wants to find out how long it will take get bored,” but it sounds unlikely that that will happen.

“I have a lot of plans for travel, I do a lot of paddleboaring and hiking, I may get my personal trainer certification, and I also would to get back into jewelry making,” she said.

Creekmore and her husband also plan to hike the Sunapee greenway this summer.

“Maybe by February I’ll be bored,” she said. “We’ll see.”

Pam Donoghue, who retiring after 26 years, has plans to take care of her new granddaughter.

“She’s our first one, so we’re pretty excited,” she said. “My husband has been retired for 10 years, so hopefully we will get to do some things together.”

Donoghue said she would miss the wonderful community at GES.

“I’m really going to miss the kids and the staff,” she said.

Donoghue said she has been fortunate enough to teach some of the children of her very first students.

“It’s been a lot of fun, but time for the next adventure,” she said.

Trish Fletcher, who is descended from the first settlers of Greenfield, has been a preschool teacher for 47 years. Over 20 of those years were at GES.

“I definitely have mixed emotions about retiring” she said. “It’s been a long career.”

Greenfield opened the district’s second preschool. The first was in Antrim.

Fletcher has signed up to be a CASA volunteer in her retirement and plans to spend time with her grandchildren.

“I’m looking forward to traveling. I want to be able to enjoy my yard; all the things you want to do that you only have the weekends to do…I can’t wait to have the time to do everything I want to do,” Fletcher said.

Maria Gendron also said she had some mixed feelings about retirement.

“I’m feeling a little trepidation, but I’m looking forward to it,” she said.

Gendron has been a special education for 40 years, 20 of those years at Crotched Mountain School.

“It’s been a long stretch, but it’s been wonderful. I’m looking forward to having some free time,” she said.

Gendron is excited to have more time to play pickleball, and recently started playing piano.

“I’ve been thinking ahead about what I would do in retirement, and picking up new skill, that has been really fun,” she said. “I just love this community. I’ve had wonderful relationships with parents, the kids, the staff — it’s been great. This school is very cohesive; we all get along really well, we all work together for the kids. If it’s good for kids, we make it happen.”