With family, friends, music, pollinators and neurodiversity
On Tuesday, students, alumni and alumni parents, faculty, volunteers, and dozens of Maryanne Pieri's colleagues, past and present, gathered to celebrate her long career at Gordon.
After twenty-eight years at Gordon, the Early Childhood and Lower School Director is stepping off into retirement.
Tuesday's celebration included performances from Kindergarten and fourth grade, and remarks from her daughter Molly, from Head of School Noni Thomas López, and from colleagues Cendhi Arias and Frances Martindale.
The celebration concluded with the dedication of a pollinator garden in the Early Childhood playground, designed by alumni parent Gina J. Najaar with a plaque honoring Ms. Pieri "for her legacy as a true pollinator of minds and a nurturer of hearts."
Ms. Pieri's celebration was the second one this spring recognizing a longtime Gordon teacher - and the second one that was recognized with an endowed fund that supports learning at Gordon.
Earlier in May, science teacher Jacqui Ketner was recognized with a reception outside her former classroom, and the announcement of the Jacqui Ketner Joy of Science Fund, focused on enabling hands-on learning opportunities and the use of Gordon’s campus for science learning.
Ms. Pieri's celebration represented the kickoff of the Maryanne Pieri Neurodiversity Fund, supporting Gordon’s strategic commitment to better serve a wide range of neurodiverse students.
For more information on supporting these funds, please go to www.gordonschool.org/ketnerfund and www.gordonschool.org/pierifund
More photos on Gordon's Flickr page