Larry Aaronson

I am retiring from high school teaching TODAY June 18th after 41 years! I was awarded by the graduating class of 2007 "Teacher of the Year" along with 3 others. "Teachers who have had the greatest impact on your learning, understanding and development." The ceremony took place in Harvard Yard, since our field house is under renovation. I received the only standing ovation from the entire gathering.... There were Cambridge police controlling in the crowd that I taught, members of the City Council and the School Committee that I taught, never mind proud parents of seniors, as well as many returning alum all of whom I have taught. Cambridge is an urban village. We are family. It is that simple and that special.  Today is a day of bitter sweet joy and heartfelt sadness. I love this school as much as I love my life.... To leave now with this much grace and dignity, and to be the recipient of so much tribute and love is a wondrous gift. But the time has come to move on to another life and to follow another path on my journey.

       I am off to start an endowment...from scratch. Sept 8th I am holding a huge party at the Hotel@MIT in Cambridge to celebrate 4 decades of progressive education and alternative public schooling for social justice. I am starting a Foundation "Social Justice Works: The Aaronson Fund" that will provide mini- and maxi- grants to Cambridge Rindge and Latin High graduates ( our high school) who are now working in the public sector working for social justice. This is our legacy of progressive educators. There are hundreds of our students replicating our teaching and our practice: teachers, lawyers, doctors, labor organizers, community activists, artists, etc. It is a fabulous legacy that lives on robustly in the life work of our former students. I am immensely wealthy in the lives of my students, hundreds of whom I have been able to remain in contact with, some as old as mid-50's. It is all a beautiful thing.

      I look forward to our getting together in Oct. I shall be attending with my cousin Rob Bresler, and joined by Jim Hamilton and Richard Levy and Tom Gottshalk, Bobbi Risen all of whom I have had the good fortune to count as family and/or close friends. Rob, Tom  and Jim are --I think, all on the Board of Trustees. It will be  a great gathering.... I cannot wait.

Larry Aaronson
(617-666-1712 home)
(617-794-5801 mobile)
432 Norfolk St. (1h)
Somerville, Mass. 02143

larindge@aol.com