Gather ‘round

Ceremony
commemorates school board

By Debbie Glover
St. Tammany News
Published on Monday, July 20, 2009 9:35 AM CDT

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A sunny summer evening maypole ribbon cutting marked the dedication of the St. Tammany Parish School Board Preservation Plaza.

Meant to honor those educators that have dedicated their lives to preparing generations of children for life, the plaza honors those in all walks of education.

Through the donating of bricks, the plaza was paid for by private donations and funds.

Simmie Fairley and Gabriele Hawkins at the ribbon cutting. At left, a cake commemorating the dedication of Preservation Plaza is a yummy reminder of the special day. (Staff Photo by Debbie Glover)

On hand for the ceremonial ribbon cutting were past and present educators and students holding ribbons on a traditional maypole. Honorees and their student counterparts included Superintendent Gayle Sloan with Jordan Arabie; Judge Peter Garcia with Sophia Thiery; School Board President John Lamarque with Kayla Ellinwood; Elsie Burkhalter and Elise Strain; Hank Ferrer and Dylan Davis; Jack Loup and Alice Fairburn; Simmie Fairley and Gabriele Hawkins; and Lawton McKee and Demille Davis.

The school board passed a resolution honoring those who, for more than a century have dedicated the talents toward making the school system that success that it is today.

The resolution stated that the plaza is dedicated to the “lasting memory of all retired employees from the school system as a symbol of our appreciation and admiration of the massive contributions made by those who have provided learning to last a lifetime.”

Each pair at the maypole cut ribbons as the plaza symbolically honors all educators in concentric circles moving outward.

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