After 45 years at MFS, lower school classroom and extended day assistant Sandi Federici will retire at the end of 2020-2021 school year.
Federici first joined the community as a parent and quickly transitioned into her role in the classroom: “I wanted my kids to go to school here, and I felt like they had such a good education that I just felt I wanted to stay.” She said that she feels that MFS is such “a wonderful place to work.”
Former student Lizzie Carter ’20 remarked that Federici is one of the reasons MFS is so great: “She [makes] an effort to always be a friendly face to everyone whether they had her as a teacher or not. Being in the MFS community, it’s a given that you know who Ms. Fed is, and I think that says a lot about her presence in the school.”
During her tenure, Federici has had an impact on every student who has crossed her path. Carter remarked how her relationship with Federici has extended well beyond Carter’s time in Federici’s classroom. Carter said: “Since being in her class, she has always made it a point to come to sporting events and celebrate the milestones that me and my fellow classmates have had.” Carter continued, “My relationship with Ms.Fed did not end when lower school was over, and has continued even into college.”
Former student Bella McCollister ’21, who was Federici’s student eleven years ago, says that Federici continues to serve as a source of inspiration for her. “[Federici] had a very big impact on me. Ms.Fed is definitely one of the reasons why I want to become a teacher.”
In her last year, Federici has made a lasting impression on her final class. Current student Lily Galler ’32 is so fond of Federici that she is even sad when Federici leaves early for the day. Galler cherishes the time she spends with Federici, who excitedly remarked: “She reads Boxcar Children. She’s now reading the Wild Robots. It was so cool.”
Galler shared how supportive Federici is: “She helps me when I can’t really do some work. Like once in math I couldn’t figure out anything and she helped.” Federici is just as fond of her students as her students are of her, saying that “it’s the kids that keep me young.”
For the past 20 years, Federici has worked with teacher Teri Kaiser, forming an incredible working relationship and friendship. Kaiser said that “[Federici] has been an assistant for me for a long time, but she’s also been a really dear friend.” When asked what it has been like working together for the past 20 years, Kaiser responded, “Ms. Fed always says it’s like being married. She says we’re together more than we are with our spouses.” Kaiser continued, “She’s really been a partner for me. We work well together.” In all their time together, Federici and Kaiser have encountered many changes. Kaiser remarked that Federici takes these changes in stride: “Things have changed in different programs that we use. The math program has changed since we’ve been there together, reading and writing programs have as well. Ms.Fed is really good at working within all those changes.” What Kaiser most wants people to know about Federici is that “she’s just a wonderful person with a big heart, and everybody at our school knows her and knows she cares.”
After all of her time at MFS, not one moment in particular sticks out to Federici, as she appreciates each and every day. Federici commented that “everyday is a memory.” Even after 45 years, Federici isn’t quite ready to stop making memories: “I really didn’t want to retire,” said Federici, “but I felt that this should be the year.” She noted that in 45 years, there was “never a day where I get up and don’t want to come to school. In 45 years, I’ve never had that day. It’s kind of special.”
Although she is retiring, she has no plans to leave the MFS community since she intends to return as a sub and volunteer. The only time she won’t be present in the MFS community will be when she visits the most magical place on earth: “That’s where I’ll be, Disney and MFS.”
Federici retires with nothing but appreciation for the community. She said , “I love the school. I love the way they teach. I just like everything about [MFS].” The one constant throughout her 45 years, Federici remarked, was that,“the school itself just gets better and better.” And, anyone that knows Federici, knows that the same is true of her.
