LEXINGTON — After spending 40 years in education and four years in Lexington, Pershing Elementary’s principal Susie Melliger retired this year and the staff did not want the occasion to go by unnoticed.
On Friday, June 12, Melliger was invited outside around noon to sit in a chair on the sidewalk along Tyler St., outside of Pershing Elementary.
“She had no idea why,” said Pershing Elementary Administrative Assistant Nancy Price.
Unbeknown to Melliger, the Pershing staff had been planning an event to honor the retiring principal’s years in education, Price said.
Price said while Melliger had spent four years in Lexington, she has been in education for 40 years and the staff wanted to do something to make her last day special.
While the staff was busy with the student item pick up day, some of the Pershing staff slipped out of the building and gathered at the First United Methodist Church’s parking lot and decorated their vehicles to surprise Melliger.
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The parade of vehicles was lead back to Pershing by Lexington Police School Resource Officer Kareem McDougall.
The vehicles passed by Melliger honking their horns and staff wishing her well. The other staff which had stayed behind at the school joined Melliger outside with pom-poms, signs, and other colorful items.
Even Melliger’s husband took part in the parade, said Price.
Price said Melliger was duly surprised by event put together by the staff.
“I was pretty surprised and teary-eyed when the staff presented a beautiful bouquet of flowers and gifts to me. I was then awestruck when I was treated to a car parade!” Melliger said, “Throughout the ordeal, I was thinking how lucky I was to be able to work with such an amazing staff. I will miss seeing everyone at Pershing! My experience in serving students in Lexington Public Schools was absolutely wonderful!”
“It was our special send off to her,” said Price, “we needed to do something to make her last day special.”
Prior to arriving in Lexington Melliger spent 36 years working in public and private schools in Omaha. Four years ago she and her husband moved to Johnson Lake after his retirement, but Melliger wasn’t ready to leave education at the time.
She became the principal at Pershing Elementary, and has guided the school for the past four years.
“Although the year ended in a strange way, I was still able to briefly see students and staff last Thursday and Friday when students came to pick up their materials curbside,” Melliger said, “After we finished getting materials to students I assumed it was just time to say goodbye and leave Pershing in the capable hands of Mrs. Kellie Cetak, the new Pershing principal.”
