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Back to school... way back
(by Kathryn A. Burger - July 16, 2008)
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Photos Courtesy Of Maria Kist
Arline Frankel, third from right, holds an annual reunion for her former students who are graduating from high school or college. She is pictured here in her classroom at
Memorial
School in Montvale with members of her class in the 1991-1992 school year. From left are Keith Henja, Maria Tsakrios, Kristin Soriano, Alyssa McGarry, Frankel, Stephanie Hackett and Sean Curry.
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Kindergarten Room 101 at Montvale’s
Memorial
School holds many happy memories for teacher Arline Frankel.
Many of those same memories are held dear by her former students. Each June, Frankel invites her former students who are graduating from high school or college to visit her classroom once again to rekindle those memories and share some of them with her current students.
During the visit, Frankel’s current students put on a show for their special visitors and then they all have refreshments.
This year, as usually, the returning students stayed in their kindergarten classroom long after school was over, to spend more time with Frankel.
Six students from her 1991-92 class came, and 12 who graduated from high school this year. What was it about their kindergarten teacher that brought them back so many years later?
High School graduate Ally Kist – “Going back to Mrs. Frankel’s kindergarten class reminded me of how much she means to me and has influenced my life.”
The next quote refers to Frankel’s nickname – “The Red, White and Blue Teacher” – in reference to her penchant for patriotic themes reflected in her classroom’s décor, and attire. Lindsey Jachens, another high school grad – “It was nice to see how she hasn’t changed at all. She was a very important part of my childhood education and she has taught all her classes how to be patriotic.”
Keith Hejna who was in Frankel’s class in the 1991-92 school year said, “It was great to be back. The show was very reminiscent of the one that my class put on back in 1992. I even remembered the words to some of the songs.”
Bobby Heaney, a high school grad, said, “The day brought back a lot of memories – and she looked exactly the same!”
And Sean Curry, who recently graduated from college, said, “It was great to see Mrs. Frankel, and everything looked a lot smaller!”
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Graduating high school seniors who had Arline Frankel as their kindergarten teacher were among her former students who came to the reunion. Pictured with Frankel, third from right, are front row, Mickela Traub, Lindsey Jachens, Patrick Barnes, Meredith Stefanelli, Brian Wagner, Frankel, and Ally Kist. Back row from left, Robin Dugan, Rebecca Butz, Jack Ritger, Kevin Reich, Bobby Heaney and Doug Kearns.
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Maria Kist, the mom of one of the visiting students, said, “Mrs. Frankel is a jewel. She touches their hearts and is part of them forever. Both my children had her in kindergarten and she is part of who they are. She’s a rare gift.”
Frankel takes great pride in her former students and this annual reunion is as meaningful to her as it is to her former students. “You never stop thinking about your students once they leave you and for a brief moment, you are reunited as if time stood still.”
Doug Kearns, who was in Frankel’s class in 1995-96, said, “Mrs. Frankel is as much fun now and she was when I was in kindergarten. She taught us how to laugh at ourselves and to have fun learning. I wish I could start all over.”
Kathryn A. Burger's e-mail address is burger@northjersey.com.
| Comments (1) |
On July 16, 2008 liz said:
This is a wonderful "tribute" to my cousin, Arline Frankel. She and I
have shared ideas and experience over the years, as we both taught
the wonderful world of Kindergarten. No one can hold a candle to Arline! She is THE most creative, dedicated and ENERGETIC person I
know. If you are a former student, count yourself one of the
luckiest people on earth to have had such an incredible start to your
education AND LIFE! Love to you Arline.
Liz Miller
Northridge, CA |
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