Teacher’s retirement is all booked up

Danette Goulet

CORONA DEL MAR -- She took her first teaching job in Newport-Mesa in

1962, just shy of four decades ago.

She’s been at five different schools and taught at four different

grade levels.

It is the only place she has ever taught.

Now, after 34 years in Newport-Mesa’s public schools -- she spent five

at home with her own two sons -- Linda Thompson will retire at the end of

this school year.

With plenty of tissues to stem the flow of tears, which Thompson said

had been streaming for a week, parents and staff held a retirement party

to honor her Monday.

“I think I’m just ready for the next chapter in my life,” Thompson

said.

When teachers were offered the “golden handshake” early retirement

packages several years ago, Thompson said she entertained the thought --

even went to all the meetings -- but she wasn’t ready to give up her

passion, teaching, just yet.

“I decided when I reached a certain [undisclosed] age I would go,” she

said. “My next goal is to write and illustrate children’s books.”

It is a goal that will not come as a surprise to former students and

their parents, as creative writing was a major focus in her classroom.

“She gave me a love of words and books, which had a tremendous impact

on me obviously, as I am a published poet,” said Frank Carpenter, who was

Thompson’s student 35 years ago in the first grade at Woodland School in

Costa Mesa.

Carpenter’s two children, now 14 and 17, also had Thompson, but as a

third-grade teacher some 20 years later at Lincoln Elementary.

Thompson began her teaching career at McNally School, which no longer

exists. From there, she went to the opening Woodland School, which just

recently reverted back to that name after being Kaiser Primary Center for

many years.

She also taught at Andersen Elementary School in Corona del Mar and

Kaiser Elementary School in Costa Mesa. Finally, she moved to Lincoln

Elementary School as a third-grade teacher when it opened nine years ago.

“She was a great teacher,” said Brittany Jacobson, 12, a former

student from three years ago. “She would smile and bring sunshine. She

was just a great teacher . . . and really appreciative and loving.”

Although Thompson will be missed, children and parents said they hope

to reconnect with the teacher by reading the books she will now have the

time to write.

AT A GLANCE

This year’s retiring teachers:

Jackie Albright Paularino Elementary 26 years

Joan Allen Costa Mesa High 34 years

George Amble College Park Elementary 32 years

Mary Ann Archbold Davis Elementary 33 years

David Brees Estancia High 33 years

Reid Bushong Ensign Intermediate 34 years

Rick Campbell Davis Elementary 28 years

Phyllis Carter Lincoln Elementary 27 years

Mary Lee Clark TeWinkle Middle 34 years

Les Cutler Costa Mesa High 37 years

Sharon East Vanderlan Monte Vista High 32 years

Richard Hancock Corona del Mar High 38 years

Barbara Harrington Adams Elementary 37 years

Marjorie Jacobsen Whittier Elementary 10 years

John Larkins special education 37 years

Dorothy Lynch Paularino Elementary 30 years

Gerald Noser Newport Harbor High 34 years

Richard Ouren Costa Mesa High 30 years

Alene Reed California Elementary 31 years

M. Jeannie Reilly Newport Harbor High 30 years

Elizabeth Risko Adams Elementary 33 years

Sandra Rush Newport Heights Elementary 17 years

Frances Stephens Newport Heights Elementary 37 years

Carol Ann Tobiason Andersen Elementary 22 years

James Warren Newport Harbor High 34 years

Jean Winfield TeWinkle Middle 14 years