Our Wildwood, Summer 2016, Volume 39

Backwards Glance

by Melinda Tsapatsaris ASSISTANT HEAD OF SCHOOL

Moments With Melissa Assistant Director of Elementary School Retires

A long-standing Wildwood tradition is for advisors to share their reflections of, thoughts on, and hopes for each of their advisees about to graduate. They write beautiful, personalized “Graduation Blurbs.” It is with a nod to that tradition that colleagues have done the

slip out the door!” Erin told me, with happy tears, that Melissa was the best problem-solver in the whole world! I will NEVER forget her compassion and what difference it made to my little girl!

Our Wildwood /Summer 2016 20/21

thank Here are some “Retirement Blurbs” from her grateful colleagues: DEB CHRISTENSON: Melissa and I meet for Chinese food once a month. Over green beans and spicy fish, we celebrate one another. She listens. STEVE BARRETT: How does a lifelong high school teacher learn about elementary education? Easy—spend time with Melissa. When I needed to build my knowledge about what we do with our youngest learners in order to share it with Outreach Center visitors, I listened to how Melissa describes what we do. In my first few years, I always scheduled time with Melissa for any group of visiting educators. I soaked in her knowledge. And now— while I certainly can’t do what Melissa does, I can explain it with greater clarity and knowledge. GINA MERRILL: I think of a person who always has the child’s needs in the forefront of her mind. Her decisions are always based on what is best for the child, and in any given meeting or discussion, that is the question that Melissa asks to focus our work: “Is this best for the kids?” She told me once: “If we remember this, then everything else lines up. Our best work can be done. Our best practice is already in place.” same for Melissa Linehan, an advisor to so many of us. Melissa, who will retire after 28 years of service as a Wildwood educator and parent, is a learner to the core, a devoted mom, a voracious reader, researcher, writer, and collaborator. She is the asker of Why? What next? What can I do to help? She is a gardener, teacher, and friend. Melissa is there for you, for students, for teachers, for parents. She is reflective, funny, interested, and interesting. She is a teacher and student. Melissa will be missed.

She offers solutions. She shares herself 100 percent, never holding back. Melissa is the consummate friend: supportive, generous, loving unconditionally. Melissa is an administrator in the truest sense of that word: She ministers to teachers, families, and students. Melissa embodies servant leadership, putting the needs of others before her own, modeling that for other leaders.

TAHNEE MUÑOZ: This quote reminds me of Melissa: “The simple things are also the most extraordinary things, and only the wise can see them.” A thanks goes to Melissa for all the simple moments that made all the difference. Her wisdom and grace make Wildwood feel like home to so many.

SANDI CROZIER: When my daughter Erin had Melissa as her 4th grade teacher, Melissa found out that it was upsetting for Erin when the phone rang to call her to go to the resource room. Without hesitation, Melissa reacted by putting a little piece of paper on Erin’s desk with the numbers that would show up on her digital watch and said, “When the numbers say this, you can just