Kinally's Kids Honor the Woman Who Taught Them to Play

On a windy Thursday, Hastings' Kinally Cove was temporarily renamed "Mrs. Kinally Cove," as students, former students, students' parents, and even students' own children gathered to say goodbye to Sue Kinally. A 30-year kindergarten teacher at Hillside Elementary School, Kinally will retire at the end of this year, leaving behind a classroom full of bright colors, fond memories and lingering notes of songs she sang to students to make them feel welcome.

"Mrs. Kinally made me feel so special when I was in her class," Katie Dichiaro, who is now almost 30 years old, said. "I remember hatching chicks in her class, eating doughnuts from a string on Halloween and singing the silly song about monkeys in a bed."  Dichiaro came to the picnic with her own daughter Mia, who tottered around the playground at Waterfront Park, in the earliest stages of learning to walk. 

For more than an hour, Mrs. Kinally never got far enough into the park even to smell the burgers being flipped by Hastings volunteer firemen or grab a cookie from the enormous buffet of desserts baked especially for her—every time she took a step forward, she was greeted by another student wanting to wish her well.

"If you knew me you'd know I'm not usually the center of attention at an event like this," Kinally said.  "I'd normally be running it."

Students and former students lined up—neatly and politely, as they learned in kindergarten—to tell Mrs. Kinally what they loved most about being in her class.

"I loved all the projects and free-choice time we had," Joya Syed, Kinally's student in 2004, said. "It was fun to express our feelings through art."

Syeed's best friend and fellow member of Kinally's class of 2004 Lorna Martel, said "She was so much fun and had so much energy in class."

Other favorite moments included: hatching chicks or ducklings, dressing-up for Halloween, celebrating the one-hundredth day of school, singing songs and playing games.

Jesse Merchant, the keynote speaker at the picnic, remembered nearly everything about his kindergarten experience—which is quite a feat given that it was more than 25 years ago.

"The person I grew up to be got his start in kindergarten," Merchant, who is now the Athletic Director for Hastings Public Schools, said. "What I learned in Mrs. Kinally's class will forever impact the way I live and teach."

"I am overwhelmed by this experience," Kinally said. "These kids are my life, and I have loved my job from the moment I started teaching."

Still exuding a youthful spirit from her expressive features and graceful posture, Kinally concedes that retirement, for her, will only be a relative term.

"I'll probably go back to school," she said. "Or maybe do some substitute teaching or work with a friend who is a librarian." 

Although some aspects of teaching have changed in the years since Mrs. Kinally first opened her classroom door, she said, "The kids are still exactly the same."

Thinking further, she added, "Kids have higher expectations placed on them now—more assessments and specific reading and writing goals. I can still play games and sing songs with them, but it's harder now."

The "Mrs. Kinally's Kids" picnic celebration was planned and organized by a cohort of caring mothers who wanted to give back after the teacher had given so much to their children.

"I have three boys, two of whom have had Mrs. Kinally," said Sheree McNulty, who moderated the event. "Everyone is really here for Sue [Kinally]. The children love her and we all feel so connected to her."

After all the children and parents had spoken, Kinally took the microphone and tearfully addressed the group.

"I didn't think this day would ever come—the years just flew by," she said. And shifting her gaze to the youngest children before her, said: "If ever I pass you on the street in five years or ten years, and I don't say, 'hi,' it's because you've grown up so much I don't recognize you. But that means you have to stop me and tell me your name. And I promise I will remember something special about you."