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Four teachers retire from MRHS

Elisabeth Hatch

Staff Intern



When school ends for summer break, the students, faculty and staff at Minnechaug Regional High School will say goodbye to four teachers who are retiring.

The teachers are Jay Deely, Minnechaug Regional's internship teacher; Dan Hanscom, a history teacher; Joan Dalmolin, a math teacher; and Dr. Joyce Sager, a foreign language teacher who retired at the end of the first semester.

"These are all teachers that have been recognized for their achievements," Minnechaug Principal M. Martin O'Shea said.

Deely was recently awarded the Faculty Teaching Award for this year. The Faculty Teaching Award is given annually to one teacher, and is voted on by the staff of Minnechaug.

"He [Deely] works really well with the students. He really talks to them on their level, they can come to him with a problem and he will listen, because he cares," said Career Center Teacher Paula Talmadge.

Deely has been at Minnechaug for 31 years teaching business math and accounting. A few years ago he was transferred to the Career Center where he is currently the internship teacher.

"This is the most incredible program," Deely said of the internship program. "I've had more fun with this in the past four years than you can ever imagine."

Minnechaug's internship program supplied 83 students this year with an opportunity to explore different careers for a semester.

"I like Mr. Deely," said Jackie Cooper, an internship student at Minnechaug. "He cares a lot about what we're doing and how we're doing, and he's always interested. He always checks up on us."

Hanscom also recently received The Greenspoon Excellence in Teaching Award.

"They are all go-to people, all of whom have excellent relationships with students, and are all well respected by their colleagues," O'Shea said. "I think when you lose veteran teachers like that, the school is left with a void."