Today is the first day of the 2019-2020 school year in Miami-Dade County, and the last day for me at my current job with Miami-Dade County Public Schools.

My official retirement date is August 31, but I need to use up nine vacation days or lose them, so today is the day I’ll go in at my usual time, see what needs to be done, then turn in my key and make a graceful exit.

I am honored to have spent the last seventeen years doing what I could to improve the education and lives of the students and staff of M-DCPS.  I have already made plans to continue doing what I can in another capacity in the near future; more about that later.  But for now, I’m taking some time off to visit my parents, do some writing, and get used to not setting the alarm for 3 a.m. for a little while.

Meanwhile, best wishes to the students and teachers throughout the fourth-largest school district in the country.  Yours is a rewarding journey filled with opportunities and challenges.  I am forutnate to have been a part of it.

My office threw me a very nice retirement party last Friday with a cake and everything.  Thank you all; it was a swell time.