Laurie Golan holds gifts given to her on color day at Saugus High School to celebrate her retirement after 32 years as a math teacher.
SAUGUS — Teachers get credit for inspiring their students, but it’s rare when they can save a life.
“A former student came to my retirement party,” said Laurie Golan, who worked as a math teacher at Saugus High School for 32 years. “He shared a story and said that if it wasn’t for me, he wouldn’t be here today.”
The former student recalled how Golan “was on his case all the time and wouldn’t let him sleep through lessons,” she recalled. After failing her class twice, he took a lower level math class instead.
“I told him he shouldn’t be in a general class, he could do better,” Golan said. “I told him he should get back in my class and try harder. He said that while I was talking to him, he had his hand clenched around a bottle of pills in his pocket. He was going to kill himself that day. He said ‘you saved my life and you probably saved other people too.’”
As longtime teachers retire, they’re reflecting on how their careers became more than just jobs. Golan was among 13 Saugus Public Schools staff members who retired this year.
When Golan took a job as a teacher, she didn’t realize the job meant more than just being an educator. Her college courses prepared her for subject matter, not real life situations.
Throughout her career, she found herself getting actively involved in her students’ lives. For one student, she showed support by going to the Suffolk County Courthouse to witness the student testify in court about being abused.
In 1999, she established Shadow Day, which allows students to spend a day in a career field they are interested in. Golan said she has learned of countless former students who pursued careers in the industry they shadowed, and heard from others who realized after shadowing experiences that they weren’t cut out for a particular career.
Teresa Duffy, a paraprofessional who worked with students on an education plan, retired from the Veterans Memorial Elementary School. She said she feels proud when she runs into her former students while they’re at work.
“I just love them,” Duffy said. “I used to always wonder what would happen to these kids, where they would end up. I’m glad that they went as far as getting a job and being with the public.”
Duffy grew up in East Boston, moved to Revere, then started her career in Saugus. Starting out, she served as a crossing guard and a lunchroom aide. She went on to become a paraprofessional on an on-call basis, working in different Saugus schools from one day to the next.
During that time, she worked with students with disabilities, and learned how to help each child individually. She said she enjoyed doing something different every day.
“There were days that were good and days that weren’t,” Duffy said. “It was the kind of job that was different every day. That was my favorite part.”
She eventually secured a more permanent position and was assigned students to work with throughout the school year. Depending on the student’s needs, Duffy provided extra help.
“There was a time when I was with the same group from third grade through eighth grade,” Duffy said. “I knew everything about them. I see a few at Stop & Shop. One boy is so cute. He will say ‘Mrs. Duffy, how much do you miss me?’ and open his hands wide and say ‘this much?”
Among other retirees, Annette Moorehouse served as a teacher at the Belmonte Middle School for 47 years. Both Moorehouse and Jeannie Barbera began teaching eighth grade on the same day in 1961: Moorehouse in English and Barbera teaching science.
“The two of them came in right at the same time,” said Amy Guider, executive assistant to the superintendent. “They have a joking rivalry going on between the two of them.”
Other retiring teachers include Susan Cronin, after 19 years, Deborah Ward, 19 years, Carolina Leone, 39 years, and Nella Juliano, 11 years. Paraprofessionals Robin Angelo, 14 years, and Karin Brown, 21 years.
Joyce Blais, retired from the Belmonte Middle School after 24 years in a clerical position. Michelle Birritteri, 17 years, Concetta Federico, 15 years, and Susan Forte, 26 years, retired from cafeteria positions.
Bridget Turcotte can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @BridgetTurcotte.
