Fifth-Graders Bid Farewell to Sumac

Fifth-graders said goodbye to Sumac Elementary School in a packed auditorium of teary-eyed faculty and family members Tuesday.

"This is probably one of the very best classes I've had," said Principal Carol Martino before the ceremony. "I'm really going to miss them, so it's going to be a bittersweet day for me."

The ceremony began with a performance by the fifth-grade class, accompanied and directed by Peggy McClintick. The students sang the Beatles' classic "In My Life" in unison with big smiles.

Tyler Boss, Nadya Bayliss, Matan Michael and Madison Penta were selected to speak about their "Special Memories of Sumac." The consensus from all four students was that Outdoor Ed was their greatest memory from the past year. 

Awards for presidential, citizenship, attendance, physical education, GATE and the coveted "Sunshine" were handed out to a handful of students.

After Martino's poem entitled "Everything I need to know, I learned in kindergarten," the fifth-grade class roll call was presented.