Arrivederci buona fortuna, signora Menery-Sammataro

Rachel Rex

Ms. Menery-Sammataro reading to her class in her third year teaching.

The bell has barely stopped ringing when students begin poking their heads into room 1213.

One needs a recommendation letter. Another is looking for NHS pins.  A fellow teacher stops by with a question about the Sunshine Fund. Someone else simply stops by to say hello.

For 32 years, this steady stream of visitors has been part of the daily rhythm for GHS Italian teacher Rayanne Menery-Sammataro. More than a language teacher, she has become one of the school’s most recognizable and beloved figures – an advisor, mentor, advocate and friend whose influence extends far beyond the classroom. 

Whether leading the World Language Department, guiding the National Honor Society, serving as a class advisor or quietly organizing help for someone in need through the Sunshine Fund, she has spent three decades making sure students, faculty and community members feel seen, supported and celebrated.

Now, as she prepares to retire, Gloucester High School is facing a rare transition: saying goodbye to a teacher many describe as the heart and spirit of the school.

Known for her iconic GHS staff windbreaker collection, Menery-Sammataro wears her GHS school pride daily, turning a practical jacket into a symbol of her commitment to Gloucester High and its students.

“I love Gloucester, the community, the school, all of it,” Menery-Sammataro said. “I’m so lucky Gloucester adopted me and it truly is a second home. I love coming to work with my best friends, even if they tease me for wearing my uniform jacket every day.” 

Menery-Sammataro began her teaching career “by accident” when she was in Italy working in the hotel industry. She “started teaching for a little extra money,” she said.  But her father always knew she was going to be a teacher, and when her brother saw a job opening at GHS in the paper, she went in for an interview. 

“I was the one who hired her 32 years ago,” former GHS teacher and World Language Program Leader Celestino Basile said. “I was impressed with her Bergamasco accent. She was so young and energetic. Her love for the Italian language, culture, and teaching have been an asset for Gloucester high school for the past 32 years.”

Menery-Sammataro’s passion for Italian culture is evident not only to her colleagues, but to the students she has taught throughout her career.

“My favorite part of Ms. Menery’s class is how she would always tell us stories about her experience living in Italy, and how she would always give us endless advice on anything we needed,” Martina Cracchiolo, a former student who worked closely with Menery-Sammataro to help plan spirit week and pep rallies, said. 

“As she gets ready to leave GHS, I think about the community she has built, how much she has helped student council, NHS, and the language department grow into what it is today, and how much she cares about her students.”

Her sense of care and dedication has left a lasting impression on many of her students, including sophomore Ethan Parisi.

“I am very sad to see her go,” Parisi said. “I’ve had her for two years and I feel like I’ve known her for longer than that. She is an amazing teacher, one of my favorites I’ve had. I’ve learned so much Italian in just two years. It’s not just Italian she teaches us, it’s how to be a good person too.”

In addition to teaching and advising, Menery-Sammataro has devoted herself to supporting fellow staff members and strengthening the GHS community through initiatives like the Sunshine Fund.

“I’m so proud of what we’ve done with the Sunshine Fund because we’ve helped so many teachers that have been ill and we’ve raised so much money,” Menery-Sammataro said. “We’re a family at Gloucester and we take care of each other.”

Faculty members say Menery-Sammataro has been instrumental in creating the close-knit community she values so deeply.

“Ms. Menery is the glue that keeps us faculty sticking together,” history teacher Rich Francis said. “Everything she does is from a place of love. You don’t work somewhere for 32 years without loving the place. She has an hour drive to and from GHS. That is dedication.”

Science teacher Rachel Rex remembers meeting Menery-Sammataro when she started back in 1994.  

“Who knew she’d become a full-time legend,” Rex said. “Over the past 32 years, we’ve survived faculty meetings, several principals and superintendents, international travel, and enough laughter to fill several lifetimes.” 

One of her favorite memories is “singing karaoke in Sorrento with Ms. Men and her mom, a moment that perfectly captures Ray: joyful, fearless, surrounded by people she loves, and somehow making everyone around her have even more fun than she is.”

Menery-Sammataro has also inspired some of her former students to become teachers. Maria Graffeo came back to teach in the World Language department at GHS this year. 

“Ms. Menery has been such an important person in my life,” Graffeo said.” When I first came from Italy, I chose to take Italian class without really knowing how I would feel or what to expect. From the very beginning, she welcomed me with kindness and made me feel at home. One of my favorite memories of her was when I was being inducted into the NHS. Ms. Menery knew me so well that she told me the ceremony started 30 minutes earlier than it actually did because she was worried I would be late. When I arrived, she smiled and said something like, ‘Bella, I know you. I had to make sure you were on time because you deserve this. You’ve done so much since moving here, I’m sure you’re going to go far in life but hopefully you’ll get there on time!’  That was Ms. Menery in a nutshell: always looking out for her students, always believing in us, and always finding a way to make us laugh.

While students remember Menery-Sammataro for her kindness and support, World Language teachers say those same qualities made her an invaluable member of their department.

“She has been an extraordinary teacher, colleague, travel companion, and friend,” French and Spanish teacher Carol Finacey said. “The truth is, I am a better person, a better teacher, and a better friend because I’ve had the privilege.” 

Finacey is not the only department member who says Menery-Sammataro’s presence will be deeply missed at Gloucester High School.

“I’ve been teaching with Ms. Menery for over 10 years, and we’ve shared some fun and interesting moments together,” Italian teacher Teresa Gallo said. “She is a great colleague and friend, and I can’t imagine GHS without her.”

In her retirement Menery-Sammataro looks forward to traveling, and spending time with her husband at their lake house in Winnipesaukee. She still plans to teach Italian remotely. 

“My husband and I want to get a small RV,” she said. “We’re going to visit family all over the country and enjoy life.” 

Though retirement will bring new adventures, Menery-Sammataro says the relationships she built with students remain one of the most meaningful parts of her career.

“I started my career with some students, and ended it teaching their children,” Menery-Sammataro said. “I hope I have made an impact, and I hope my love of the language has also inspired others.”