Four Set to Retire From West Hempstead Schools

Two teachers, one teaching assistant and a secretary will be retiring from the West Hempstead school district this June.

Superintendent John Hogan announced at Tuesday's Board of Education meeting that Virginia Croker, Sandy Keblish, Patricia Waugh-Howe and Virginia Samson will be "moving on to a well-earned retirement" at the end of the 2011-2012 school year.

Hogan took some time to reflect on the years of service each of the four women gave to the district, starting with Croker, who was present at the meeting and received a standing ovation from all those in attendance.

Croker has been a teacher in the district for the past 33 years. She started working as a half-day Kindergarten teacher in 1978. She then taught at when it housed Grades K-6 and upon its closing was transferred to to teach first grade. Her next assignment took her to , where she taught third grade for three years before volunteering in 1986 to teach Grade 1, which she has been doing for the past 25 years.

"Until the fire that engulfed her classroom in the summer of 2010, Ginny called Room 3 her home," Hogan said. "She will be retiring form Room 7, a room she took great pride in recreating so that all the comforts of Room 3 could be experienced by the boys and girls."

Hogan added, "Her energy, creativity and enthusiasm for education will be...almost impossible to match."

He then spoke about Sandy Keblesh, a teacher who will also be retiring this June. Keblesh started with the district in 1988 as a half-time teacher of the academically gifted and soon after, was appointed to a full-time position, instructing gifted children at both Cornwell and G.W. In 1990, she was part of the committee overseeing the formation of West Hempstead Middle School and the following year, was assigned to teach sixth grade.

"She's a hard-working and caring teacher with good instincts and has been an integral part of the Middle School family, always willing to led a hand and engage with the boys and girls," Hogan said. "She's one teacher you can't help but notice. Her love for the students is beyond compare."

Also, retiring is Patricia Waugh-Howe, a teaching assistant who has been working in the district since 2002. 

"Over the years, she has been assigned to various inclusion classes at the and has always worked cooperatively with the teachers," Hogan said. "She has a good relationship with the students," both the special education and general education ones in the class, he added, "always offering them encouragement and support.

Hogan went on to say, "The teachers in those [inclusion] rooms never fail to amaze," calling Waugh-Howe "a wonderful example of the teaching assistants we have in West Hempstead."

After more than 20 years with the district, Virginia "Ginny" Samson will also be retiring. Samson started in the district as an administrative assistant in 1988 at GW and was transferred to the high school in 1995, where she currently works as Principal Dan Rehman's secretary.

Over the years, "she has been a valuable assset to principals and district directors," Hogan said. "Mr. Rehman can attest to how valuable she's been to him as he's transitioned and made his adjustment to being in the high school."

He added, "Her pleasant demeanour, highly-efficient and organized manner has been instrumental to everyday operation of our schools."

Share your thoughts and well wishes with the retiring faculty and staff members in the space below.