I was told by my daughter today that one of the very loved crossing guards and playground duties was retiring,  Mrs. Gladstone.  My daughter said that Mrs Gladstone had served Sunset for 15 years.  I recall driving to pick up after school and seeing her at the crosswalk in the street talking with the kids and parents as she safely walked them across the street.  My girls both walked across that crosswalk nearly everyday this year and they would routinely give Mrs. Gladstone a hug as they would cross.  She was standing at her post this morning teary eyed and holding a sign that some of the kids had made for her that said, “Goodbye, We Love You!”  Today was the last day of school for the University Place District kids and it was sad enough for the 4th graders to say goodbye to their teachers as they head off to Drum and Narrows View, but even sadder to see them all cross the street for that final time, tears welling in everyones eyes and cards and flowers being brought to Mrs. Gladstone as they all wished her well in her retirement.  It brought a tear to my eye and I have never even formally met her.  As we drove away today the Sunset Staff all stood proud at the end of the parking lot and all of us parents honked and waved as did the kids while we passed.  Another tear came to my eye.  It’s interesting to see the kids feeling loss as they left the school today.  That just goes to show the bond that was created by the Faculty at Sunset with the kids.  We moved from Edmonds and when my daughter left her school there knowing that we were moving to a new town and a new school there were no tears.  But today there were many emotions running through the kids and the staff, it’s great to live in a community where people really care about your kids.  We are lucky here in University Place to have people like the staff and volunteers at Sunset Primary.  We should revel in our fortune.

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