WELD – Teaching Principal Arline Amos held it together Monday when she bade good-bye to her students, their parents, staff and community members on the last day of school.

Though she admits she nearly lost it, she didn’t cry.

Amos, an educator for 41 years, 14 of those as a teaching principal at the Weld Elementary School, is retiring. Technically, her last day is June 30.

The desks and chairs were empty in Amos’ large classroom. Markers were stacked in a box, magnifying glasses in a holder. The primary grades school supplies are being transferred to Cushing School in Wilton, Mallett School in Farmington and Cape Cod Hill School in New Sharon.

Not only was it Amos’ last teaching day, it may be the last year school is taught there. SAD 9 directors voted this spring to start the process of closing the school, but it will be up to the Weld voters to make that decision this summer.

This year there were 16 students, next year it is expected to be 13 with no children in kindergarten, first or second grade.

The older grades’ supplies are staying put until voters make their decision on the school.

Amos has taught kindergarten, first, second and third grade in a multigrade class setting at the two-classroom school. There were some things she could teach as a group with different expectations and others she individualized.

Her career has been split between the now defunct Wilton Primary School, where she taught mostly first grade for 19 years, and 22 years at the Weld school.

When the East Wilton woman came to Weld it was to teach the three lower grades and then third grade was added.

If she was to stay teaching at the school for next fall, she would have had a lot of learning to do before fall.

“I’m well past retirement and with the change, I would have had to learn fourth-, fifth- and sixth-grade curriculum. I’m not going to work forever,” she said.

Instead, she plans to go fishing and golfing, do some traveling and visit family.

Amos grew up in Dryden and went on to Farmington State Teachers College, now the University of Maine at Farmington.

While she went to college, she worked and raised a family with her husband of nearly 45 years, Dwight. They have two sons, Shane and Wade, both in Massachusetts.

In a way it’s ironic that she has decided to retire since all the changes in curriculum, administration and technology kept her motivated to stay in education so long.

“I was always learning with the kids,” she said.

She found it rewarding to see in the spring all her lessons come to fruition and everything falls into place for students, she said.

She credits supportive staff, fellow colleagues and the community for helping her through.

During her tenure in Weld, they built a new playground and replaced all the windows. Students have had a chance to tour the Wilton schools where they will attend if the school is closed.

“I have had some great times,” Amos said.

One of her most rewarding accomplishments, she said, is “seeing the kids go on to be successful in high school and their careers.”

During the annual award ceremony Monday, Amos tried not to dwell on the closure of this chapter of her life.

“I tried not think about it. I thought a lot about getting everybody through and organized and to tie up loose ends,” Amos said. “I never did cry this morning. I couldn’t talk, I choked up … except when I tried to thank the people, I thought I was going to lose it, but I held it together.”

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