Goodbye, But Not Forgotten

As I walked past the front office of Medford Elementary School this evening for our Sweetheart Dance I caught a glimpse of our beloved principal, Mrs. Andreotti for what would be the last time and my heart fell. It literally ached, for not only her, but for myself, my children and our entire school community as well. This was a mistake, this is simply a terrible mistake and I wish with all my heart it did not have to be. 

We adore her, we respect her and we have come to love her and that did not take long to achieve. She settled into our school and made it a home for us all rather quickly, earning the respect of many and setting the stage for a pleasurable place to work and learn. She is by far the most caring, sensitive and accommodating principal I have ever met or had the pleasure of knowing. She knows everyone’s name, every single child has a place in here heart and most importantly - they know it. She was more than a principal; she was a friend to those kids. They felt secure and loved and the tone she set in that school will echo for many years after she leaves.

Once again our children will have the pay the price for decisions made by people they have never met. Already forced to struggle through so many changes these past years in the curriculum, now they must continue down that road without the guidance and security of their principal.

Thankfully, we are still blessed with our amazing teaching staff, which I have always felt far exceeded my expectations. Yet even their faces reflect the loss already, and it now falls on them to pick up the pieces and move forward.    

No longer will we see her smiling face roam the halls, her quiet calming presence settling the staff and kids into their day. No more waves, no more smiles and no more visions of the kids hugging their principal with huge smiles on their faces.

Now, all we are left with is the memory of her tear stained face as she said her goodbyes. She will never be replaced; no one will ever take her place in our hearts. Her face reflected one of deep sadness and pain and as we all know - the deeper the pain, the deeper the love. She simply did not want to leave our school, our kids and our teachers – that much was apparent. I do not know the circumstances surrounding her sudden departure nor do I need to – all I do know is she is heart-broken and so are we.

As the night went on smiles were exchanged for tears and the line to say goodbye wrapped the halls of our school. One question plagues us all – why? Why do we have to let her go? It was a terrible mistake to let her go – one we will regret for many years to come. May your road rise up to meet you Maria, for you deserve the very best and certainly not what you received.