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St. Mary’s School
Year
end activities start with a computer revolt
By Kathy Ayette
I have to tell you, it is really crazy around here, and I don’t mean
the typical last month of school craziness. Although we have that
craziness too. No, our computers have risen up in revolt.
The server is not serving and we have intermittent internet. The
computers are staging a full scale rebellion. Their
assault was cunningly timed. Our tech wizard, Rich Hadden, is
gone this week. He is one of the chaperones on the eighth grade
class trip to Charleston. Luckily I have still retained my
pre-computer skills and have been able to cope. I still know how
to wield a piece of chalk!
May is shaping up to quite the busy month. On May 1, the school
honored the Blessed Mother with a May Crowning prayer service.
Carmen Badell was chosen to place the floral crown on the statue of
Mary. The eighth graders left for their class trip to Charleston
on Tuesday, May 8, and will return the following Friday. The third
through sixth graders attended a retreat at the Maria Stein Spiritual
Center on May 9. On May 15 the fifth graders will attend the annual
Health Fair. Greg Bobos from Channel 45 will speak to
second through sixth grades about tornadoes on May 18. Last
month, if you recall several of us had a bit of adventure while
traveling back from the NCEA convention. I don’t know about
“Dorothy”, but I am looking forward to the presentation.
It my sad duty to note the passing of another one of our school
family. Mike Pressnall passed away unexpectedly last month.
It was quite a blow to our school. You may have known Mike
through his work at the hospital and in the community. What you
may not know is that Mike was a teacher at St. Mary’s during the
seventies and eighties. Mike was on staff when I joined in
1978. He was a gifted teacher, but what I really
appreciated was his sense of humor. He always had stories to tell
about his class, his part time job at the hospital or life in
general…always with his spin. Eating lunch in the faculty lounge
was like dining at a comedy club every day. Mike left St. Mary’s
to work full time at the hospital, but like so many of us, he didn’t
really leave. Mike was our chief cheerleader in the community and
our very own decorator. We had the most elegant donut and
juice receptions of any elementary school. I know I have often
reported on these functions but I neglected to describe the
decorations. The donuts were served on silver platters. The
donut table had a table cloth, with tulle down the center, and always a
lovely flower arrangement. Every school function from donut
receptions to fund raisers like the Mardi Gras were afforded the
Pressnall touch. Mike and his wife Sylvia were the force behind
the eighth graders’ class trips. They arranged fund raisers, made
travel arrangements, and chaperoned the trips. Mike passed
away on the day of the Etta Mae and Tom Foley Memorial Dinner and
Auction. He had been on an errand to get water for the dinner
that night when he passed away. Given how much he loved the school and
how often he gave of his time and talents to the school, I guess his
passing away while in the midst of working for the school shouldn’t be
too surprising. Last year, around this same time I wrote about
another St. Mary’s family member who passed away, Steve Blocher.
Steve and Mike were brothers-in-law, although they acted more like
brothers. We miss both of them. But when you arrive at the Pearly
Gates, if you would like to visit them, just follow the smell of cigar
smoke and head over to the sounds of laughter.
Another school year is about to end. I know because looking at my
calendar I see Field Day is scheduled for May 21 and the last day of
school is May 31. As usual the year has flown by. It’s
true, time does fly when you’re having fun. So on behalf of the
students and staff I hope you have a wonderful summer.
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