Schools
District Teachers Say Goodbye: Rafe Gradia
Port Chester Middle School social studies and ELA teacher Rafe Gradia will retire after 38 years.
Rafe Gradia's time in Port Chester schools goes back almost four decades.
Before Gradia spent the past 29 years as a sixth-grade social studies and ELA teacher at Port Chester Middle School, she spent the first nine years of her career at Park Avenue School in a transitional first- and second- grade classroom.
She was also happily married for 34 years to her husband and best friend, John Gradia, who passed away on April 23, 2010. She's the very proud mother of her daughter, Cara Battaglia, who followed her career path to become a fourth-grade teacher in CT.
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What fond memories will she keep in her virtual scrapbook of a career that spanned almost four decades in Port Chester?
“My favorite memory is working successfully with fantastic peers and helping to shape so many generations of students," Gradia said. "Time flies when you're having fun."
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For Gradia, there are moments that stand out from her time in the district, but most of all she said she'll reflect on the totality of her 38-year education career.
“I will miss the daily interaction with my students and friends that became part of my family for so many years,” she said.
So what will she do once she folds up her maps and compasses for the last time?
Gradia hopes to inspire as she retires, and plans on volunteering in her daughter’s fourth-grade classroom a few days a week. Volunteering will allow her to stay connected to the classroom, while still leaving plenty of time for reading, travel and music concerts.
This year, 26 teachers are retiring from the Port Chester School District. On Monday, Port Chester Patch profiled Larry Siena, whose career began as a student teacher in Port Chester in 1972. On Tuesday, retiring science teacher Mary Romanello spoke to us about what she'll miss most after a 22-year career. And on Wednesday, health teacher Tom Corbia reflected on 40 years in the classroom and said he's considering a run for the Board of Education.
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