Jay's Poem and My Last Staff Meeting

Jay Snyder, my colleague (former colleague!) wrote and performed a poem for my last staff meeting and here it is:

Mary, Mary…

What can you say about Mary?

I have something to say, about Mary today.

She did her Jmath, and did it with a roar.

That’s why she’s my best ambassador!

Mary’s a learner, and does it so smooth.

If we were a little more like her, we could all improve!

Mary, Mary… I’ve got to warn you, it’s only fair.

Beware, beware, I say beware.

If you’re gonna retire, get on the train & get down the track,

Cuz if you don’t, you’ll end up like the others, & you’ll be back!

With Mary not there, it will give us a scare.

So I have a challenge, call it a dare.

Be half as good as Mary, and in spite of TASC,

We’ll all be successful, and that’s all we can ask!

So Mary, here’s a toast.

To your retirement, I hope it’s a blast.

To one fine lady, who’s nothing but class!

Best wishes Mary.  Enjoy!

Congrats on a great career!

Congrats on a great career!

Jay gave me the opportunity to be a learner by his gift to all of us by creating jmath.net.  

I was honored greatly by the kind words of my supervisor and fellow teachers and the gifts--books, restaurant certificates, socks, a wallet--all wonderful.

But as I told them all, I'm not sorry I retired--and this meeting reaffirmed that as they are all struggling with the new TASC---Test Assessing Secondary Completion--and the unknowns involved with it. I left the meeting after almost two hours and they all stayed for at least another hour.