SOUTH DEERFIELD — The Frontier Regional School District School Committee approved a request by the Frontier Retired Teachers Association on Tuesday to plant a memorial tree in honor of retired teachers who have died.
Although the request was for a plaque listing all of the names of deceased retirees, Superintendent Darius Modestow recommended to School Committee members that a general plaque be used, instead, recognizing the tree as a memorial tree for all teachers.
“I was wondering if we should just do a general tree in memory of all teachers who have served this district, rather than choosing and missing some (names), and creating a plaque that has to be updated every year,” he said. “Maybe at the School Committee meeting we can do a public mention of who we’re honoring each year.”
School Committee member Keith McFarland suggested a website be provided on the plaque that would relay viewers to a list of the retirees being honored.
Modestow said it would likely be a birch tree after showing School Committee members the location of a tree in a corner of the high school building that was removed after it fell during a storm.
“It’s a spot where trees grow quickly and healthy because it gets a lot of sun,” Modestow said. “We have a need for a tree, right here and right now.”
A final plan will be worked out between the school and a representative from the Frontier Retired Teachers Association.