Sendoff Fit for a Queen

Talk about ending your career on a high note. Longtime Tommie Barfield Elementary (TBE) school counselor Leanne Hope received a retirement sendoff Friday that a girl could only dream of. And they made sure they kept a piece of her behind by naming one of the 68-year-old school’s hallways in her honor: Hope Hall.

“We are so excited to celebrate Miss Hope today,” said Alyssa Ledbetter, TBE principal. “We are so excited to see her go off into this next journey and enjoy retirement life.” Ledbetter’s eyes began to tear up, and her voice cracked. “But we certainly are going to miss her at Tommie Barfield. She is just the kindest, most respectful person. She is always willing to help out our students. One of the things that is really special about Miss Hope is that no matter what we ask her to do, she’s ready to do it. She’s always willing to step in, even when it does not fall under her job description. She’s just such a wonderful part of our Tommie Barfield staff. We hope she will come back to volunteer because we certainly are going to miss her.”

“I’m really going to miss her,” said school resource officer George Guyer, echoing the sentiment of the day. “She does so much for these kids.”

“Leanne is a person I hold in high esteem,” said Diane Fowler, TBE’s Safe School assistant. "I know I've joked several times that when I grow up, I want to be like Leanne. She's so kind and thoughtful. Her gentle ways with students are calming, and it's easy to see the genuine, caring feelings she has for them. She always seemed to know just what the kids needed when they were going through difficult times. She will be missed greatly, but her retirement is well deserved."

Two students were standing behind the crowd of well-wishers, watching as their schoolmates swarmed their school counselor, flowers and cards clutched in their hands. “She deserves it,” one boy says to the other, who nods affirmatively.

As for Hope, she was taken totally by surprise Friday morning when she arrived on campus.

“Coming into school Friday morning,” she said, "I felt shocked when I discovered that the leadership team had arranged for me to sit in a royal chair with a robe, crown, and a wand. I thought I would just be waving at the students as they walked by. I was overwhelmed with appreciation as students walked in with flowers, letters, and beautifully decorated cards.”

Hope was also thrilled Monday morning when the naming of Hope Hall was announced on the morning news, a program she helps produce. While the student reporter was making the announcement, the school’s plant manager, Guss Cortez, was shown in the background hanging the sign in the hallway. 

“I'm so honored to have a hallway named after me at Tommie Barfield,” Hope said. “I was told that this was the idea of our fourth graders. When people see Hope Hall and remember me, I hope they think of kindness and helping. My mission was to give and witness kindness every day.”

Hope, an accomplished pianist and organist, is ready to pursue retirement with the same gusto she has in her school counseling career. 

“My plans after retiring include practicing music in order to fill in for worship services,” she said, "traveling with my husband and enjoying all that Marco Island has to offer."

(On a personal note, I couldn’t be happier to see Miss Hope honored so lavishly. I know she does indeed "deserve it." I know this because Miss Hope is my wife.)