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player ready...The soon-to-retire principal of Rhodes Elementary School got a big surprise from the school community recently and a gift that’ll ensure she’s remembered for years after her departure.
Students, administrators, teachers and the school’s band gathered outside the front of the school on May 15 to surprise Debra Suhajda, the school’s principal. She’s retiring at the end of June after 19 years working as the principal.
Suhajda had no idea that she would get such a surprise, but there was something more as well. In her honor, a section of the school will now be named Debra D. Suhajda Primary Education Center.
Rhodes School Superintendent Jim Prather said Suhajda had been a strong proponent of primary education. Among her initiatives were increasing kindergarten from a half-day to a full day and adding more classroom time during the summer.
“If it were not for Debra’s commitment, we would not have changed from a half-day kindergarten to a full-day kindergarten,” he said.
A humbled and surprised Suhajda addressed the crowd with heartfelt thanks, adding that she didn’t see this coming.
“I had no idea,” she said. “This is such an honor. I love the primary grades. Rhodes is such an amazing place. I don’t deserve this.”
Her husband, Mike, who was in attendance at the event, believes she deserves it.
“She lives for this place, she really does” she said.
He said she had become a little melancholy about leaving, but he said she’s ready.
“She knows it’s time to move on to other things, like spending time with her five grandkids, with a sixth on the way,” he said.