As you roam the halls of GHS, avoiding that math test you didn’t study for, or taking a break from learning about the unit circle, a ray of sunshine walks past. With her tote bag and lively laugh, it’s hard to miss this comforting soul – Maura Feener.
For the past 13 years, Feener’s light has shone throughout every part of GHS, but on March 21st, the sun set when Feener retired after 21 years of working in the Gloucester Public School District.
Although she has worked as a paraprofessional for so long, Feener originally attended Bunker Hill Community College in hopes of pursuing a nursing career, as she was inspired by her mother and sister’s professions.
However, Feener decided to switch her career path to education, so that it still aligned with her passion for caretaking. She began her career in education 2004, working at the Fuller School, and later moved to O’Maley and then the high school, where she started working in the library.
“I wanted to get my kid through school, and she was in kindergarten so this was the perfect job,” Feener said. “I love the kids, I loved the work, I loved the decorating. It took a lot of pieces of me that I could use, and I can’t stand to sit still so it was perfect.”
In addition to the GHS library, Feener worked as a paraprofessional in different classes like English and History. She has also worked in the Anchor program, and is currently working in Special Education classrooms.
“I’m happy for her because I know she’s been wanting this for a long time,” History teacher Shaun Goulart said. “She has worked hard and she has put in a lot of time, so I’m happy she’s moving onto her next adventure. She’s going to be greatly missed here at GHS.”
Feener worked with Mr. Goulart as an aid for some of his classes. When she worked in the library, Feener also assisted with the research and writing units in his classes.
While she enjoyed being a classroom aid, her favorite job was working in the library. During her time in the library, Feener took it upon herself to elevate the space by decorating the windows for holidays, and putting up photographs of students and staff.
However, she didn’t just fill the library with fun decorations – she also filled it with love.
“She was always one of the first faces to greet us and she always had this big smile on her face,” junior Isla Black said. “She drew attraction to the library because of her welcoming presence, and the passion she had for decorating the windows based on the different months.”
Not only did students value the physical appeal of the library – they also valued the serenity and order that Feener established in the space.
“She would push back on me for cursing, and it showed that she cared,” GHS graduate Elliot Thompson said. “She would quote from her father: ‘there’s so many beautiful words in the entire English language, so why choose those ones?’”
After her retirement, Feener plans to focus on painting, which was a hobby she picked up as a child, when she began drawing on the walls of her house.
“I came home one day to a bunch of paints on the kitchen table,” Feener said. “There was a note from my dad that said ‘when you start something you finish it.”
Feener started her journey here at GHS in hopes of passing knowledge down to her students, and establishing a safe space for them. After 13 years, it is safe to say that she has surpassed these goals – a fact that makes her retirement all the more bittersweet. Although we will miss her, we wish her the best retirement – one spent painting and adventuring.
