by Dennis Dalman
editor@thenewsleaders.com
What started as a loud, energetic collective welcome to spring quickly morphed into an enthusiastic thank-you to Sartell Middle School Principal Julie Tripp.
At 8:30 a.m. Thursday, May 21, students, teachers and staff at Sartell Middle School left their school building and made their way to the football field and bleachers just to the east. In the bleachers, the students, bursting with energy, watched a kickball game, wildly cheering the players.
A bit later, a series of songs blasted forth from the speakers as students, bleacher section by bleacher section, took their turns standing up and boogying to the music, which included such songs as We Are Family, Don’t Stop Believing and Eye of the Tiger. The students stomped, clapped, swayed, waved and wiggled in time to the music. Finally, the song Happy Trails to You started playing, which was a clue that something special – some kind of surprise – was about to happen. Students on the field held up poster cards to greet Julie Tripp, the SMS principal who will retire this year after 25 years of service to the Sartell-St. Stephen School District.
Three girls carrying huge geraniums walked over to Tripp, who was coaxed to stand out at the edge of the football field. The three girls – Hannah Congdon, Sarah Owens and Kelley Vande Vrede – presented a stunned Tripp with the flowers as the students in the bleachers roared their approval.
Later, as the students began filing back to their school building, they walked past Tripp, and all kinds of pleasantries were exchanged with Tripp telling groups of walking students “thank you, thank you, thank you” over and over again.
“I’m a little emotional,” Tripp told the Sartell Newsleader as she stood there, almost speechless, groping for words.
“It’s been an incredible career, and that’s because of incredible people,” she said, indicating the scores of students as they walked past her, casting smiles her way and giving her thanks.
“Incredible people!” Tripp said again. “Incredible students, family and staff. And incredible people in this community who really make this school something to be proud of. It’s been an absolute honor to serve here.”
Tripp taught sixth grade for 15 years in Sartell before becoming an administrator at the middle school, a job she held for the past 10 years, including her service as principal.
Three middle-school girls present a huge planter of geraniums as a thank-you gift to departing Sartell Middle School Principal Julie Tripp during a rally May 21 at the football field. Students in the bleachers roared their approval.
Three girls hold up the flowers presented to their departing principal. From left to right are Sarah Owens, Kelley Vande Vrede and Hannah Congdon.
Principal Julie Tripp thanks students as they leave the football stadium after they staged a pep rally in honor of her. Tripp will retire this year after serving 25 years in the Sartell-St. Stephen School District, first as a sixth-grade teacher, later as an administrator.
Students carrying placards walk down the track to positions on the football field where they will surprise departing Sartell Middle School Principal Julie Tripp during a rally.
Middle-school students wait for a kickball game to begin and to honor their principal, Julie Tripp, with a surprise honor rally.
Students enjoy a game of kickball May 21 just before a surprise rally for departing Sartell Middle School Principal Julie Tripp. The coach at left is Joe Perske, long-time soccer coach, teacher, former mayor and legislative candidate.
Students carrying placards walk down the track to positions on the football field where they surprised departing Sartell Middle School Principal Julie Tripp during a rally.