CHESTER – A long-time tradition was continued this 2023-34 school year when Retired District # 139 Teachers and Staff took part in their Annual 1st Day of School Wave Day”.
This activity started decades ago when Linda Saunders and Eleanor Miller, retired teachers, wanted to “rub-it-in” to current teachers on the first day of school that they still had to return to school while the retirees did not have to return to school.
As years have passed, the retired teacher group has increased in size and now includes not only retired teachers but other staff members and even former administrators. Each year the group forms a line of retirees that sit in lawn chairs in front of retired teacher Norma Baughman’s house on Opdyke Street.
This is in Chester near the entrance of Chester Grade School. The group arrives at 7 a.m. and greets and waves to teachers, students, staff and others on their way to the Chester Grade School entrance.
Following the event, the group goes to Reid’s Harvest House for breakfast. This group keeps active throughout the year as they have a monthly breakfast at Reid’s and even takes part in assisting in some current school activities.
Pictured in this year’s “Wave Day” are (left to right) Tammy Grah, Toni Hosik, Kyle Koeneman, Lois Tindall, Donna Clendenin, Paula Platt, Tim Lochhead, Janet Baldwin, Carolyn Schwent, Nikki Aubuchon, Joyce Wingerter, and Norma Baughman. The empty chair is in Memory of Mary Ann Stumpe. Jim Beers Photo
Retired Chester School District No. 139 Teachers and staff sit in lawn chairs Wednesday August 16 on the first day of school to help current teachers and students return to class. This annual traditional “Wave Day” takes place on Opdyke Street near the entrance of Chester Grade School and has become a popular “first day” activity as both current teachers and staff as well as parents and their students expect the waves and greetings on the first day of school. Jim Beers Photo
Chester School District # 139 Retired Teachers prepared an empty chair and black balloon Wednesday August 16 on the first day of school in memory of departed fellow teacher, Mary Ann Stumpe. The retirees have a tradition of sitting along Opdyke Street near the Chester Grade School to greet teachers and students as they pass by on the way to CGS for the start of the new school year. This year Stumpe, a very popular and well-known Kindergarten teacher, was not present for the traditional “wave day”, but retirees wanted to keep Stumpe’s memory alive with the empty chair.