In December, we held a staff meeting to honor Melissa McStay, a true pillar of our Deering High School community.  Melissa, a social worker whose career at Deering spans decades to our school, has been instrumental in supporting the emotional and physical well-being of generations of students and their families.  Bob Carroll and Laurie Medeiros shared heartfelt stories and a moving slideshow that brought many to tears as we reflected on the tremendous impact Melissa has had on our school and the wider city. While she is transitioning to a new role within Portland (and thankfully will remain with us one day a week to mentor our newer social workers), her legacy of empowering students and advocating for their well-being will forever be a part of Deering High School.  Thank you, Melissa, for your caring and supportive nature to our community. We will miss you dearly but wish you all the best in your future endeavors.