Teacher/Staff Appreciation Lunch: Thanks to Parents!

Hickory Ridge Country Club was the setting last week once again for the Parent Council sponsored Ft. River Teacher & Staff Appreciation Luncheon & the day was a smashing success! Over seventy staff members were present & all enjoyed a lovely buffet lunch while being serenaded by two Ft. River alums, Solomon Goldstein-Rose & Dorian Elgers-Lo, who provided background cello & violin music during the afternoon. Thank you to all those in the Ft. River community who contributed entries to the Gratitude Walls, the brainchild of Ft. River parent & "Multi-Arts Guru" Catalina Arrubla, that were posted graffiti-style at the school entrance during the week leading up to the luncheon. You were so prolific that Catalina had to post a second wall so that everyone's sentiments were captured! The Gratitude Walls were displayed in the room during the luncheon for the teachers & staff to appreciate. They are now hanging in the Staff Lounge at school. To those who made cards of thanks to acknowledge the many kindnesses of teachers & staff throughout the year, a heartfelt "thank you" to you from Catalina, Coleman Cornelius and Eileen Marasco, event volunteers. They were all much appreciated by the teachers & staff when they were distributed around the room at the luncheon as decorations. The variety of the messages written on the cards served as a reminder of the many ways in which our outstanding Ft. River teachers & staff touch our children on a daily basis, some of them perhaps in ways that they'd never even imagined. It was heartwarming to read the outpouring of thanks & appreciation expressed by the kids for all the little "extras" the Ft. River staff is known for that make our school such a special place. The kids may misplace a sweater on the playground, forget to finish a piece of homework, or goof off & ignore directions when asked to do something in class, but they really do "get" the teachers & staff in ways that would amaze you! Nothing is lost on those to whom it really matters. To Catalina, Coleman & Eileen, job well done & many thanks! Kudos to Susan Noonan for covering the phones at school so that all of our hardworking office staff could enjoy the event. Thanks to Danielle & the staff of Capacidad for having the kids there churn out a number of thank you cards for us & to Seiha Krouch for lending the support of the Cambodian Culture Club to the effort. To those who took the time from dinner to create a card during the Ft. River Pub Night, thank you! We'll leave the table out with the card-making station on it at the entrance to the school building through next week if students or others in the Ft. River community would like to continue sharing messages of gratitude with teachers & staff. Thanks to everyone for supporting the Ft. River Parent Council so that once again we were able to treat the teachers & staff to this memorable day when they are able to gather together as a group & leisurely share time together in a relaxed setting to be celebrated. We are so lucky & grateful to have all of you! --Eileen Marasco