St. Mary School in Oak Ridge recently announced the opening of the Treehouse Reading Room in the school library, redesigned and renamed in memory of a beloved former teacher, Anne Garrett.
Mrs. Garrett was a revered teacher at St. Mary who passed away in 2019. She zealously taught from 1987-2014 and served as assistant principal in her last 15 years at the school. Mrs. Garrett was passionate about literature and English and loved her students. Upon her retirement, she continued to serve the school by volunteering in the library and substituting as much as possible.
“Anne loved to have discussions with the kids about books,” said Marsha Sega, longtime friend and colleague. “She chose summer readings specifically for discussions at the beginning of the year.”
The original Treehouse Reading Room was discontinued in spring 2020 because of COVID and began undergoing renovations when the school reopened in fall 2020. With the mural almost completed and the plaque hung, the reopening was a surprise to students who visited the library on their first day back at school.
“She would be honored that you did this for her,” Mrs. Sega said. “She truly enjoyed teaching, and she had fun; we had fun!”
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Mrs. Garrett was a wonderful person who loved the kids at St. Mary’s School. My grown children still speak very fondly of her, and credit her for their success. I’m sure she is a saint!