CORNWALL — Cookies, lemonade and a story with a moral made for a perfect farewell party for Cornwall Consolidated School Principal Kathleen Fitzgibbons.
“Dr. Fitz� is leaving CCS, after six years, to pursue a long-held dream of a career in the ministry. The crowd of well-wishers on Sunday made it clear that her energy and gentle, loving nature, combined with a strong conviction to always look for new ways to help children learn, hadmade a lasting mark on the school, its families and the community.
When asked which one thing they will miss most about her, the emotions that played over each face were the same: joy and sadness, followed by a long pause as they tried to think of just one thing.
“I’ll miss her ability to always think outside the box,� said Barbara Gold, chair of the school board all through Fitzgibbons’ tenure.
“Her experience,� said Region One Superintendent Patricia Chamberlain, adding, “And the wisdom that comes from that experience.�
“She believes that all life is education,� said parent Fred Thaler. “She always remains open about what you can do and learn in the moment. Her energy brings an openness to learning and life.�
Parent and school board member Wynne Kavanagh answered with the obvious: “Her stories,� but added, “My daughter, Erica, would say, her ‘Good morning, boys and girls.’�
For Dr. Fitz, the answer came more easily.
“The people. I’ve established a relationship here that will go on forever.�
And of course, as children gathered around her, she offered the crowd that packed into the school’s Gathering Room a story.
It went something like this:
“I was always encouraged to have dreams, and set goals and stick to them,� she began.
She went on to tell of taking a class at the Maine Medical Center, where a cupola on a very old building on the grounds intrigued her. She became obsessed with climbing up into it. Despite asking all over campus, no one knew how to access it.
“Finally, I found someone who knew that you had to go to a certain office on a high floor of the building. There was a ladder on the wall of the office you had to climb.�
She got permission, and an escort, and began to climb.
“I got most of the way up when I realized how high up I was, and I froze. I just couldn’t do it.�
She was promised another chance, and when her class was drawing to a close, the nice man who had led her first attempt sought her out, and told her it was time.
“I was determined. I made it all the way up. The man took out a pencil and told me to write my initials on a beam. I wrote “KCF� on that beam, and it will be there for a long time.�
Of course, the moral of the story is to never give up on your dreams, and Dr. Fitz, as she has been in so many ways for the students of CCS, is a living example.
Patrick L. Sullivan
