Season’s appreciations
Colleagues salute retiring Shepard teacher with daily gifts, surprise singalong with Santa
For years, Shepard High School special education teacher Kate Richardson avoided her department’s Secret Santa tradition.
It wasn’t because she was a Grinch or Scrooge. Far from it.
“She refused to participate in Secret Santa because she didn’t want anyone to waste their time and money on her,” fellow special education teacher Serena Stahr said. “So, this is payback.”
Theremay have not been Secret Santa gifts and goodies for her in the past, but 2020 was a different story. This year, special education educators spent a lot of time and money on Richardson, who will retire in June after 31 years at the Palos Heights school.
Payback started on Dec. 1 when someone left a book about how to remember computer passwords on her front steps.
“I think her line is ‘what the bleep is my password?’ ’’ Stahr joked.
For the next 20 days, there would be a present waiting for her on her porch. One day, payback was a switch. Someone stole her plant pot. Another day it returned filled with a new plant.
Richardson knew who was behind all of this. What she didn’t knowis the grand finale would take place Tuesday as a group of more than 30 people met in the parking lot at Shepard and caravanned to her Palos Heights home to surprise her with a quartet of Christmas carols.
She appeared surprised, embarrassed and touched as she clapped and sang along to the tunes. She said she wanted to hug each and every person in her yard.
She also threatened revenge to each and every teacher in her yard.
But she had to fight back tears when talking about the surprise and her peers.
“These guys are crazy — just crazy,” she said. “They are all maniacs, and they are all in big trouble. But it’s all typical. This is how these people do everything. This is how talented they are. They are the most creative, wonderful group in the whole world. This is how they are with their students. They are loving, creative and fun.”
Some of the 22-days-of-Christmas gifts were common. But Richardson also picked up a few unique presents, including Dolly Parton’s Sugar Cookies, COVID-19 themed ornaments, Gouda cheese with dragon hot sauce, a T-shirt that said “Eww, 2020” and donations in her name to Park Lawn School and Comer Children’ s Hospital.
Oh, and there was also that one day when the doorbell rang, and a delivery person presented three salmon dinners to her.
That didn’t come from the Shepard
gang. Thatwas a mistake. It was a delivery to thewrong house.
“That’s how crazy things have been around here,” Richardson said.
Her peers are crazy about her. Some dressed in costumes for the surprise singalong.
“She has been a huge part of our department and we wanted to send her some Christmas cheer,” teacher Kelsey Clifford, who dressed as an elf, said. “I knew she would yell at us and tell us ‘you guys are so busy, what are you guys doing?’ But she’s the best. She’s our poised, confident leader. She is our voice. She is our veteran.”
Clifford, who is also the Shepard Astros softball coach, brought her father, Mike, to the celebration and he dressed as Santa Claus.
Stahr said she has been teaching with Richardson for 12 years.
“Kate is probably the most positive and passionate person in the building,” she said. “She is the biggest advocate for the kids, and she is not quiet about it. She has been a big support to me a teacher and we wanted to make her last year of teaching there really special.”
Richardson, an Oak Lawn native who went to Mother McAuley, said she’s loved her time at Shepard and denied that she had an impact on her fellow teachers’ lives.
“They are the ones who have an impact on my life,” she said.