After 30 years of tieing little shoes, making messy art projects and teaching kids to say ‘please? and ‘thank you,? teacher Susan Mundy said good-bye Friday to Holy Cross Christian Preschool in Oxford and hello to retirement.
‘The kids have all touched my heart in many ways,? said the 50-year-old Lake Orion resident. ‘It’s been a real joy.?
Mundy spent the last three decades teaching art to four classes with about 30 kids each, five days a week. She also served as one of the lead teachers in two of the morning classes.
Members of Mundy’s oldest former class are now 33 years old and some have their children enrolled at the preschool.
‘It’s kind of nice that they want to put their kids in the hands of their old preschool because they had such fond memories here,? she said.
‘I have so many treasured memories,? Mundy said of her career. ‘It’s been a real blessing.?
One of Mundy’s funnier career memories involves her youthful appearance and a former student who had a crush on her.
According to Mundy, it was the little boy’s first day attending Daniel Axford Elementary and he was having a ‘very hard time? adjusting to the new school.
However, the little boy got very excited when he heard that ‘Mrs. Mundy? was on bus duty that day.
But when he arrived at the school bus, the ‘Mrs. Mundy? he saw was Susan’s mother-in-law, an older woman with gray hair who taught first grade at Daniel Axford and was near retirement.
‘He cried all the way home,? Mundy said. ‘When he got home, he told his mom that ‘Mrs. Mundy wasn’t a teenager anymore.? His mom had to bring him to the preschool to show him I was still here. It was very cute.?
That little boy isn’t the only one who’s quite fond of Mundy.
As a going-away present, a little girl in Mundy’s 3-year-old class gave her one of the ‘ruby slippers? she wore to school everyday with a plant inside it for the teacher’s garden.
‘She knew the Wizard of Oz is my favorite movie,? Mundy said. ‘She gave up her shoe to me. It was very, very nice and sweet.?
Mundy is also well-liked and respected by her peers.
‘Susan is one of those rare people who appeals to children and to adults,? said Preschool Director Vicci Salerno, who began teaching at Holy Cross at the same time as Mundy. ‘She draws people to her. It’s that magnetism that makes her such an outstanding teacher. She’s really exquisite at what she does. It’s going to be a real loss (to the school).?
‘She’s someone I love very dearly as a friend and co-teacher,? Salerno added.
Mundy was equally complimentary of her fellow teachers and aides.
‘Working with the same group of women all these years has been wonderful,? she said. ‘I’ve made a lot of good friends here. They made the job a lot more fun.?
Although she’s retired from teaching preschool there, Mundy will remain a part of Holy Cross Lutheran Church as a member.
Holy Cross is where she was confirmed and married her husband of 30 years, Bob, who teaches biology at Oxford High School. The couple has two grown sons, Michael, who lives in Oxford, and James, of Royal Oak.
When asked what her retirement plans are, Mundy replied, ‘I’m hoping to have some grandchildren to play with.?
Mundy also said she’s considering checking with Oakland Schools to see if any help is needed with administering the hearing and vision tests to children.
‘I’m kicking some ideas around,? she said. ‘Hopefully, I’ll be able to continue and do something in the field of education in some other form. I’m still pretty young. I want to do something.?