Lighthouse Jubilees thankful for gospel music career

By Ed Pierce

A chance meeting at the Bangor Civic Center in 1996 has led to a longtime musical partnership between a local singing duo called the Lighthouse Jubilees.

Angie Guillette of Windham, left, and Pat
McLellan of Buxton make up the Lighthouse
Jubilees singing group and have been
performing gospel, oldies and Christmas
classics at events for more than 30 years.
PHOTO BY ED PIERCE 

Angie Guillette of Windham and Pat McLellan of Westbrook teamed up to sing harmony driven Gaiter-style gospel music, along with Oldies tunes and Christmas classics, and it’s taken them to perform at concert halls in Tennessee, Washington, D.C., throughout New England and in Canada. During their heyday, the singers were performing between 30 to 32 shows a month and drawing rave reviews for their authenticity and beautifully arranged vocals.

Their first performance came on Aug. 3, 1996 at Gorham House retirement community, earning them $20 each, and since then, Guillette and McLellan made regular appearances for 20 years on Portland television’s Channel 5 and have become favorites at public events, conventions, and among residents at nursing homes in Maine.

Guillette is originally from East Hardwick, Vermont and came to Maine with her husband Roger when he landed a job working at Robert Hall in Portland. The couple had four daughters with six grandchildren, four great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild. Roger passed away in 2014.

McLellan met her future husband Dana in 1966 in Westbrook and her father worked with Dana’s father. They married and have two daughters, three granddaughters, and two great-grandchildren.

She has a three-octave voice but had never sung professionally before she met Angie at a TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) convention in Bangor. They quickly became fast friends and soon discovered that their voices blended perfectly, and they each were devout Christians and loved gospel music.

It led to them forming the “Lighthouse Jubilees” and embarking upon a career as a singing group.

“It’s really like a marriage,” Guillette said. “Weve found that it’s not my way or your way, it’s God’s way.”

Through the years, they have performed with musician James Rogers, who has opened many shows for Dolly Parton. The Lighthouse Jubilees have also recorded and released seven CDs including four featuring gospel song, two of “Golden Oldies” and one of Christmas music.

Both Guillette and McLellan say that their favorite song to perform as the “Lighthouse Jubilees” is “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy,” a tune first made popular in 1941 by the Andrews Sisters.

“We love that song and many of the other gospel songs we sing because these are songs that many people of our age know well and relate to,” Guillette said. “Many people in retirement communities and nursing homes of our age attended church growing up and because of our love of Christ, we want to share this music with them to enjoy.”

That popularity has fueled a lengthy career for the Lighthouse Jubilees.

“I think people just like the way that we do our songs,” McLellan said. “We are blessed to be able to do that.”

Because of her higher singing range, McLellan usually takes the lead on songs such as “Surrounded by Angels,” while Guillette’s two-octave range works well on “Climb Every Mountain” from “The Sound of Music.”

Each of their performances average around 21 songs per setlist, sometimes longer, depending upon the scheduled length of their concert.

For the first 25 years of their musical partnership, the Lighthouse Jubilees were in demand and traveling extensively to perform, but that slowed some when Guillette sustained a broken leg in 2019 and mobility issues persisted. The COVID-19 pandemic also curtailed some of their bookings for shows.

Now the duo typically sings at between eight and 10 shows a month and they usually are at locations in Maine closer to home. They recently performed at the Maine Veterans Home in Scarborough and the Windham Veterans Center. This Tuesday they will sing during a show at the Chapman House in Auburn.

In what was a highlight of their career, the Lighthouse Jubilees were presented with a Portland Media Center gold record in 2024 that is inscribed “for excellence in music that makes people happy.” It’s a tribute both Guillette and McLellan appreciate greatly.

“God has been with us the whole way,” Guillette said. “We would also like to thank so many people who have helped us reach this point in our career.”

But neither Guillette nor McLellan want to give up singing.

“We may not do as many shows as in years past, but we’re always looking for places and venues to perform,” McLellan said. “It is our privilege to entertain and it’s what God wants us to do.” To learn more about the Lighthouse Jubilees, find them on Facebook. <

Four candidates vie for two seats on Raymond Board of Selectmen

By Dina Mendros

Raymond residents will choose two new Board of Selectmen on June 10. Those on the June ballot for the three-year terms include Mark Meister, Christopher Hanson, Kaela Gonzalez and Frederick Miller.

Two candidates for Raymond Board of
Selectmen will be elected to three-year
terms on June 10. Candidates are,
clockwise from top left, Mark Meister,
Christopher Hanson, Kaela Gonzalez
and Frederick Miller.
SUBMITTED PHOTOS 

Candidates share their thoughts on whether the town needs a new Public Works building; what they think about building solar farms; whether the in-person style of town meeting should be brought back; and what they think are other important issues to the town.

Mark Meister, 40, is married with two young children. He is a consulting executive at IBM Consulting. He graduated with a degree in Business Administration from The Ohio State University. He has also served on nonprofit and community boards.

Meister said he believes whether to build a new Public Works building “should be based on clear need and long-term value … with community input and fiscal responsibility guiding every step.”

Solar farm proposals, Meister said, should be evaluated on “a case-by-case basis, balancing zoning rules, environmental impact, community benefit, and landowner rights.”

Meister said he “respects the tradition of in-person town meetings but believes Raymond should explore modern options that allow more residents to participate.”

He said he “supports continued investment in education” and responsible development. He also said “protecting Raymond’s lakes, ponds, and rivers” is important, as is government efficiency and increased engagement between residents and government.

Christopher Hanson, 69, is married with two children. Hanson is the code enforcement officer for the town. He graduated from the University of Maine Orono. He is a member of the town’s Budget-Finance Committee.

“I believe the town needs a new Public Works building and would support it after the Public Works Garage Oversight Committee reports back to the Board of Selectmen,” Hanson said.

“I think solar farms are beneficial … in certain areas of town,” he said.

Hanson said he favors in-person town meetings that “bring the community together and build community spirit.”

Some of Hanson’s other concerns about what the town should be focusing on concern “climate change and working on resiliency” along with “protecting our lakes and environment.” “Creating more commercial businesses and empowering the tax base” were other concerns, as well as “providing the citizens with the best services while keeping taxes under control.”

Gonzalez, 42, is married with three young children. She is a program coordinator with the city of Portland and has a degree in Health Science. She has served on various town committees including the town’s most recent Comprehensive Plan Committee.

“I look forward to seeing the work that comes out of the Public Works Garage Oversight Committee,” Gonzalez said regarding a new Public Works building, noting residents voted against a proposal last year.

She said she considered the matter of solar farms “settled with an ordinance amendment in August 2024.”

Gonzalez said she thinks the current way of voting and providing two public hearings before the June vote, allows people to ask questions but having more time to vote “increases accessibility.”

Important issues she sees facing Raymond include short-term rentals, a housing shortage, building community, offering programming for all ages, and “increasing services while keeping an eye on the tax rate.”

Miller, 67, is married, with two adult children. He is the owner of Miller Flooring LLC and went to trade school after high school. He is on the town Zoning Board of Appeals.

About a new Public Works building, Miller said “if it is needed, and the town has a location and if the budget makes sense, then my answer is yes.”

Regarding solar farms, he said, “I would want to make sure that they would not affect our water/wetland areas,” whether there would be storage power issues and what would be cost or the return value to the Raymond residents.”

Miller said residents should be asked about whether to revive in-person town meetings.

Regarding other issues he thinks are important to the town, Miller said, committees should “work together as a team,” there should be a better process “for residents to make suggestions,” and “town employees need to communicate and work together as a team.”

In-person voting is to take place from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. June 10 at the Jordan-Small Middle School gym at 423 Webbs Mill Road in Raymond.

Absentee ballots are available now at the town office. <

Two on Raymond ballot for RSU 14 board seat

By Dina Mendros

Susan Accardi and Diana Froisland, both of Raymond, will face off for the RSU 14 Board of Directors vacancy on June 10.

Susan Accardi, left, and Diana Froisland will be on the
ballot for the RSU 14 seat representing Raymond on
June 10. SUBMITTED PHOTOS

The position is a three-year term. Candidates told The Windham Eagle what they think about student test scores, Title lX, and their thoughts on other important issues facing the school district.

Susan Accardi, 76, is divorced and has two adult children. She is a retired BSN registered nurse and served as a school nurse with RSU 14. She has served on the Raymond Budget-Finance Committee for two terms, on various short-term town committees, as a ballot clerk and sits on the board of the Friends of the Raymond Village Library.

Regarding student test scores, Accardi said, “Tests are one of many indicators of student progress. Indicators for poor performance are many, some not within the power of schools to address. Chronic absenteeism is one of the best-known indicators of school performance. Schools need resourced staff for early identification followed by intervention and an appropriate learning environment to fully support these children.”

RSU 14 follows all federal and state laws regarding Title lX and has school policies addressing those laws, Accardi said.

One of the most important issues facing the district, she said, is keeping politics out of schools.

In addition, she said, “we need to remind ourselves how lucky we are to be here. Our Grade 5 to 8 students in both communities will be attending a new school in a couple of years. We all want our students to get the high-quality education they need and deserve in a safe, respectful environment. That is my commitment.”

Diana Froisland, 60, is married and has two grown children. She attended Gordon College and graduated from the University of Southern Maine with a double major in Economics and Business Administration. She and her husband co-own Northeast Property Management. She has volunteered with the Raymond Recreation Department as a ski instructor, and is a regular election worker, serving two terms on the RSU 14 Board of Directors from 2012 to 2018.

To improve test scores, Froisland said, “we need to take an honest assessment of current curriculum to determine which programs provide the best outcomes and seek alternative approaches that would help improve student achievement.”

“Title IX was established to provide equal opportunities for girls in public education,” she said. “We need to implement the law as written and passed by the Federal government.”

“It is alarming that Maine schools are continually increasing costs while simultaneously providing declining results,” Froisland said about what she thinks needs to be addressed. “Students and taxpayers deserve better since over 70 percent of our property tax bill funds public education. I will focus on improving academic outcomes and fiscal responsibility and returning the focus back to providing opportunities for our students to be competent and productive citizens.”

In-person voting is to take place from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. June 10 at the Jordan-Small Middle School gym at 423 Webbs Mill Road in Raymond.

Absentee ballots are available now at the town office. <

Southpaw Meat Market employee cherishes award from Raymond Fire and Rescue

By Kendra Raymond

Southpaw Meat Market and Packing Company in Raymond knows a thing or two about community involvement. Owner Nichole Sargent was the recipient of the Caring about Lives in Maine Award in 2024 presented by the National Alliance on Mental Illness for her work around suicide awareness and prevention. Now it’s her daughter Devon Sargent’s turn.

Raymond Fire and Rescue presents the 2025 Chief
Reginald Brown Community Service Award to
Devon Sargent for her kindness and dedication to
community outreach. From left are Raymond Deputy
Fire Chief Lee O'Connor, Devon Sargent, and Raymond
Firefighter/EMT Dustin Carroll. SUBMITTED PHOTO    

Southpaw Meat Market is once again in the spotlight, receiving the 2025 Chief Reginald Brown Community Service Award from the Raymond Fire and Rescue Department. The remarkable 24-year-old received the accolade for her generosity and kindness, and deep dedication to community outreach.

In announcing the award recently in a social media post, Southpaw Meat Market said, “We are thrilled to share with you that thanks to Devon’s remarkable compassion, Southpaw received a Community Service Award from Raymond Fire and Rescue. She and Ruckus (the dog) bring treats, cinnamon rolls, and meals to nourish them. I’m sure she offers sarcasm and laughter too! We are beyond proud of Devon!”

Devon Sargent said that her blue heeler Ruckus goes everywhere with her and often accompanies her on the deliveries.

“He is kind of a mascot, especially at our plaza in Raymond,” she said.

The Chief Reginald Brown Community Service Award was established around 2005. It is given to someone who goes above and beyond to contribute to the Fire and Rescue Department. Chief Brown served the department and donated the land on which the current fire department building is located.

Raymond Deputy Fire Chief Lee O’Connor is proud of the program.

“Every year Raymond Fire Department recognizes a citizen who helps out in the littlest or biggest way,” he said. O’Connor says he appreciates Sargent’s sense of using the butchering products for greater good.

“Devon has taken the initiative to help out our EMS training program by donating bone marrow and organs,” he said. “(Our trainees) can develop their respiratory training, learning how to intubate the lungs and just how little air it actually takes,” said O’Connor.

Aside from the practical usage of the donated products, Sargent doesn’t forget the other members of the Raymond Fire and Rescue Department, delivering delicious baked goods, pasta salad, meals, and stews to firefighters.

“She really takes care of us bringing food and checking in on everyone,” said O’Connor. “She is always asking if there is anything we need.”

Members of the department are also loyal customers at Southpaw, which is celebrating its grand reopening this week following some extensive renovations.

“They are always coming into the market looking for marinated meats, special cuts, or whatever they are planning. We always make sure to take care of them,” said Devon Sargent.

She was honored at a banquet recently where she received a plaque and challenge coin for going above and beyond to serve her community.

“I never expect to get anything out of all things I do,” she said. I was really surprised. Just making sure everyone is OK is one of the best honors there are.”

Wise beyond her years, Devon Sargent gives credit to her mom for instilling a deep sense of giving back to the community.

“It feels good to be recognized for doing good,” she said. “I wish more people did caring things in today’s world. This is a community and if we can feed or take care of others, that’s I what I want to do.”

Sargent’s empathy, sense of giving, and wisdom are qualities that will serve her well in her personal and professional life.

“Food connects everyone. A full belly goes a long way,” she said. “People that serve the town make the town go around.”

Firefighters agree.

“We love hearing from our community and giving back when there is a great opportunity. There are so many good folks in our community. We would love to recognize them all, but this one really stood out,” said O’Connor. “It is awesome to see a young person so dedicated to giving back to their community. Devon really shows up – it’s impressive.” <

Windham Public Library purchases study pod using grant funds

By Kira Pilot

A new study pod purchased with grant money awarded to the Windham Public Library by the Greater Portland Council of Governments (GPCOG) has been installed and is available for community members who need space to conduct a private call or hold a meeting.

Windham Public Library has purchased a
new study pod available for community
members who need space to conduct a
private call or gold a meeting, thanks
to a grant from the Cumberland County
Digital Equity Stipend Award.
SUBMITTED PHOTO 

The Cumberland County Digital Equity Stipend Award aims to provide funding to libraries, tribal organizations, and nonprofit organizations in Cumberland County for programs that increase digital literacy, provide access to devices, and promote online safety.

Library Director Jennifer Alvino Wood says of the council’s mission, “We’ve been thinking of ways we can promote the use of technology to help people in their everyday lives and make sure we’re getting that access out to all different types of groups – veterans, older adults, new English language learners, students - whoever in our community needs digital access.”

The $5,000 grant was used in its entirety for the purchase of the new pod, Alvino-Wood said.

The remainder of the funding needed was generously donated by the family of Barbara Kelley, a former Reference and Technology Librarian who worked at the library prior to her passing in February of last year. Her husband, Bill Barton, brought in a gifted check to the library and was present the day the pod was delivered in March. The pod will be named in honor of Kelley.

Alvino-Wood describes Kelley as someone who “loved to promote digital access, was such a great teacher, had so much patience, and a lovely attitude when helping our patrons learn to use the computer.”

The library already has two designated study rooms that can accommodate groups of up to four people at a time. The rooms are equipped with a computer and whiteboard and can be reserved for up to two hours by calling or emailing the library. It is the policy of the library to make available its meeting rooms and study pod to citizens and groups throughout the community for non-commercial purposes free of charge.

If anything comes up at the last minute, a person may also simply stop by the library and check for availability. The rooms see frequent use and Alvino-Wood said that the library is excited to additionally provide the new pod.

By contrast, the new study pod is portable and can accommodate one person having a private conversation. It features both a light and a table for a device. Once the door is closed, the pod is completely soundproof.

According to Alvino-Wood, the study pod can be reserved and booked in the same way as the library’s study rooms, by calling or emailing, or simply stopping by and inquiring about its availability.

Both the meeting rooms and the study pod may be reserved free of charge and are available for use during scheduled library hours. Guidelines for usage can be viewed on the Windham Public Library’s website at https://www.windham.lib.me.us/meeting-room. For further details, Ray Marcotte, the Reference Librarian responsible for booking these resources, can be reached 207-892-1908, ext. 5. <

Raymond resident to receive ‘Maine Citizen Planner of Year’ award

By Ed Pierce

Hours of volunteer work and attention to detail have paid off for Kaela Gonzalez of Raymond as she is about to honored as “Maine Citizen Planner of the Year.”

Kaela Gonzalez of Raymond will be
honored by the Maine Association
of Planners as 'Maine Citizen
Planner of the Year' in Lewiston
on May 16 for her efforts in helping
to formulate Raymond's new 
Comprehensive Plan.
SUBMITTED PHOTO

Gonzalez served as Co-Chair of the town’s Comprehensive Plan Committee and as someone who lives in Raymond and used to work for the town, she played a key role in bridging the gap in building the committee’s outreach with residents and boosting local engagement in developing a new plan for Raymond’s future. She will receive the award during a ceremony at the Lewiston Public Library on May 16.

The “Maine Citizen Planner of the Year” Award is presented annually by the Maine Association of Planners and is given to a citizen who has made a distinguished contribution to planning such as members of planning boards/commissions, zoning boards of adjustment/ appeals, economic development boards/commissions, or other elected or appointed officials.

Gonzalez said her nomination and selection for this honor came as a total surprise.

“Raymond is very fortunate to have a slate of dedicated and hard-working volunteers and committee members across all of the various committees and organizations,” she said. “I am really just one of many that deserve recognition. Our Comp Plan committee was engaging, and everyone had valuable input, and I believe the end result would not have been possible without the whole team. We are all MVPs in my book.”

According to Gonzalez, Raymond Comprehensive Plan Committee members received fantastic support with North Star Planning, who kept them on task. She also praised the work of her committee Co-Chair Peter Leavitt.

“Peter Leavitt is wonderful to work with and comes to every meeting well prepared and with receipts,” she said. “I am very grateful for his leadership on the committee.”

Originally from Owls Head in the mid-coast region of Maine, Gonzalez spent time in the service and hospitality industry as a waitress and then earned a degree in health sciences at the University of Southern Maine. Moving to Raymond and starting a family, she had an epiphany that led to a career change and a desire to go to work for the town.

“Each time they had an opening, I applied for it,” Gonzalez said. “We had started a family and wanted to root here. I kept on applying and I told them at the time that I would continue to apply for openings until they hired me, and it must have worked because they did.”

She served as Raymond’s Communications Director until 2021 when she went to work for the City of Portland in the Housing and Economic Development Department, as ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) Program Coordinator.

“I was approached by a neighbor asking if I had an interest in being part of the Comprehensive Plan Committee in 2022, and it was an easy choice,” Gonzalez said. “Even though I was no longer a town employee, I still wanted to keep a connection to the town and be involved. It may be worth noting that I am running for Raymond Select Board this year.”

North Star Planners were just one of a group of individuals who nominated Gonzalez for the award.

“When we encountered early concerns that it was difficult to reach the Raymond community, Kaela took on leadership of the public outreach process,” they wrote in their nomination. “She created a Facebook page and made social media content throughout the process to keep residents informed. She worked with her neighbors, town staff, and key stakeholders. She also led the committee to organize pop-up events on election days at the town office, with fun activities, like voting on different topics with pom-poms, that increased community knowledge of the comp plan process.”

They said that Gonzalez consistently brought positive reinforcement to meetings and asked insightful questions throughout the planning process to ensure the effort stayed on track.

Raymond Code Enforcement Officer Christopher Hanson, Interim Raymond Town Manager Joseph Crocker and Comprehensive Plan Committee members John Clark, Greg Foster, Peter Leavitt, Frank McDermott, Shawn McKillop, Danelle Milone, John Rand, and Jacqueline Sawyer also nominated her for the honor.

“The work was not challenging, especially since we were receiving excellent guidance from North Star Planning. However, community engagement is the part that everyone tends to struggle with,” Gonzalez said. “The goal is to engage as many citizens as possible.”

Raymond’s new Comprehensive Plan is nearing the final stages and Gonzalez says the Select Board should accept the final version in the near future.

“The plan will then be brought to the voters for acceptance, likely at a Special Town Meeting,” she said. “There will still be a great need for involvement for implementation of the plan though.” <

In the public eye: Retiring teacher inspires generations of RES students

Editor’s note: This is another in an ongoing series of Windham and Raymond town employee profiles.

By Ed Pierce

Imagine working one job in one place for the past 41 years and you’ll realize that Patti Gordan is an exceptional and dedicated individual and an outstanding teacher who students will miss terribly when she retires next month.

Patti Gordan teaches a weekly General
Music class for all students attending 
Raymond Elementary School from
PreK through Grade Four. She is 
retiring at the end of the school year
after working at the school since
1984. SUBMITTED PHOTO

Gordan had completed her first year of teaching in another school district but did not reapply for her position when school started back up in the fall of 1983. She didn’t apply for any others and was leaning toward quitting the profession permanently when something miraculous happened.

“I was a cantor at my church, where Frank McDermott, the Superintending Principal of Jordan-Small School, was a member. One day after a service he came up to me and asked me if I would be interested in applying for a seven hour a week, long term substitute position teaching band,” Gordan said. “The current teacher was going on maternity leave. I started on Jan. 4, 1984. Then, right before February vacation, he came to me again. The band teacher had decided not to come back, and the current General Music/Chorus teacher had resigned. He asked if I would be interested in the entire music position. So, I guess I put in my toe and then jumped into the deep end. Forty-plus years later, here I am.”

Growing up in Scarborough, she played saxophone for the school band and sang with the school chorus. She was also a member of a select show choir and a participant in District and All State honors music festivals. During her senior year of high school, she was awarded the John Philip Sousa Award for band. At the University of New Hampshire, Patti majored in voice and singing and appeared with the UNH Concert Choir and Women's Choir. She also participated in the UNH Wildcat Marching Band as a member of the color guard and for a brief time she was the lead singer in a rock band called "Round Trip." She earned a degree in music education from UNH and was hired as a music teacher out of college for another school, but she wasn’t happy in that job.

“I didn’t think I wanted to be a music teacher,” she said. “My mother advised me to try it one more year in a different place. I was hired by the Raymond School Department in January 1984 and have been here since.”

RES Principal Beth Peavey says the school will not be the same without Gordan.

“After 42 incredible years of inspiring students through the power of music, Patti Gordan, our beloved elementary school music teacher, is retiring,” she said. “For more than four decades, she has filled our halls with song, sparked creativity in young minds, and helped generations of children find their voice – literally and figuratively. As we celebrate her well-earned retirement, we thank Mrs. Gordan for the passion, dedication, and heart she brought to every single note.”

Gordan credits three people for being instrumental in her teaching career.

“Nancy Cash-Cobb was an important mentor. I learned to teach General Music classes by attending workshops that she organized and workshops that she presented herself,” Gordan said. “She has been, and still is, a dear friend. Norma Richard was the principal of Raymond Elementary School for the first decade of its existence. She truly believed that music education was just as important as any other subject. She supported me and encouraged me to reach for the stars and create a music program that was more than typical for most Maine elementary music programs. And Jani Cummings was a dear friend and mentor. She taught in Raymond for over 40 years, mostly first grade. She supported me in every kind of way. When I came to Raymond, I was still a beginning teacher. My skills were, shall we say, survival level. She taught me the art of teaching.”

She currently teaches all students at Raymond Elementary from PreK through Grade 4 in a weekly General Music class.

“Kindergarten has music class twice a week. We have a music curriculum which aligns with the Maine Learning Results. I plan and teach lessons, assess the students’ knowledge and skills, give them feedback and help them plan their next learning steps,” she said. “They learn singing skills, beat/rhythm skills, music artistry/listening skills, musicianship, and general musical knowledge such as musical terms, styles, instrument identification, music history and the science of music. Second through Fourth grade students also learn basic music literacy. I also teach Third and Fourth grade chorus. We rehearse once a week during the school day and present two concerts a year.”

According to Gordan, whatever songs, activities, or games she teaches to the students, she tries to be sure that they can perform them without me.

“I went to a workshop once where the presenter said that when you give someone a gift, you don’t hold on to the other end,” she said. “You let it go. I will have done no good if my students cannot make music without me.”

Married for 44 years and the mother of two grown sons who live in the area, Gordan has young grandchildren and wants to spend more time with them.

“Also, I want to go on vacation in the fall, when all the kids are back at school,” she said. “Fewer crowds, fewer lines, less expensive, and it will distract me, so I won’t think about how weird it is to not be coming back to school. If I were home, I’d probably wander around in little circles.”

She says that the best thing about being a music teacher is when her students work hard at learning a song or music game and then have a deep sense of pride that they have created something amazing and can perform it independently.

“I love listening to them sing, especially my chorus. Their angelic sound sometimes makes me tear up,” Gordan said. “I love the children’s enthusiastic expressions of affection. When they see me in the grocery store, you’d think I was some kind of star. I love the hugs and little notes, covered with hearts and music notes, that they leave in my mailbox. I always hope that I am ‘that teacher,’ the one that made a difference.”

For Gordan, her own most influential teachers include her fourth-grade teacher, Mrs. Murray, who enriched lessons with hands-on experiences and her seventh-grade English teacher, Mr. McIntyre, who used a book called “30 Days To A Better Vocabulary” and showed students that big words could be fun.

“The most influential music teacher to help me did not come into my life during childhood but in the mid-1990s,” Gordan said. “Dr. John Feierabend of Hart School of Music developed a music education method for early childhood and a music literacy education method for elementary students. I attended several of his workshops and took a week-long summer course with him. To say that it changed my professional life would be an understatement. In retirement I plan to get certified as a trainer.”

She says that her most enduring memory that she’ll take away from working at Raymond Elementary School is that it’s a warm, caring, place to work.

“I have taught generations of Raymond students,” Gordan said. “In fact, many of my current students are children of former students. It feels like a large family.” <