Today was also the last day of school for the students of the Don Bosco primary school in Varese. But it wasn’t just any morning: for teachers Grazia and Loredana it was the last day of school.
They retire after their time in the classroom Grazia is 44 years old and Loredana is 43. A long history lived in school, in contact with thousands of boys and girls.
At the ringing of the bell, therefore, the emotion was evident: greetings, hugs, tears of emotion. And that big heart with the word “Thank you” inside as a sign of recognition for two fundamental figures.
«For us it wasn’t a job. Every morning we came to school, which is something different. You entered the classroom with 21, 22, 25 students and everything else in the world disappeared. It was just us and them » he says Loredana.
«Many tell us they feel envious – he adds Grace – and maybe they are right, but concluding this long experience leaves me with a huge void. They were intense but beautiful years because I always found a stimulating, welcoming, serene and collaborative environment».
The two teachers lived one long experience at the former Canziani primary school, at Montelloschool closed in 2017 due to safety problems: «We created there a fantastic group – remembers teacher Grazia – everyone worked to constantly improve. There was collaboration between the teachers, with the parents’ association being a cornerstone. We found that serenity and that synergy at Don Bosco which is growing more and more with profitable team work».
Canziani remained in the hearts of the two teachers who experienced the closure story with great bitterness. Over the years, however, they have managed to rediscover the magic of that experience. « We leave really beautiful classes – comments teacher Loredana – We often hear that children today are different than in the past, that parents have changed, they are more difficult. But we can only speak with enthusiasm about everything we have experienced. Every moment, every experience was lived with satisfaction, especially because we always did it together.”
Loredana and Grazia leave school at the same time: “I couldn’t have continued without her…” he comments Loredana who talks about a future still as a couple: « From September we would like to make ourselves available again to those in difficulty. We still don’t know how and in what way, but if there is a need to lend a hand, we will be there” assures Grazia.
And the children? “In the last two weeks they have pampered us with gifts, drawings, thoughts” says Loredana. «A second grade girl told me: Teacher Grazia, you played a joke on us, right?»
No joke, the two teachers concluded the daily and constant experience in the classroom. But the school won’t get rid of them….
