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Schools

Students, Staff Send Off Porco and Johnson, Longtime Rush Administrators

Gene Porco and Camille Johnson are retiring this year.

honored and Camille Johnson for their years of dedication and service. The two are retiring this year. 

Janet Tumelty, Cinnaminson Patch's Mom Around Town columnist, who's also a substitute teacher at Rush, shared this:

Start spreading the news, he’s leaving in June … 

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The tune of the familiar Frank Sinatra song, "New York, New York" was the anthem of the afternoon as students and faculty at Eleanor Rush School joined together to present Mr. Porco and Mrs. Johnson with a proper farewell.

The musical assembly showcased each grade level. Students in third grade sang "Bye, Porco, Bye" to the tune of "Fly, Eagles, Fly;" fourth-graders gave a hearty rendition of "B-I-N-G O" replacing Bingo with Porco; and the fifth grade belted out their soulful version of "Ain’t Too Proud To Beg," with the help of a few brave teachers begging our honorees to stay.

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Rush Fiddlers, Advanced Band and Music Makers had the honor of playing with Mr. Porco on the drums and special guest, Jonathon Porco on bass. Adding to the fun, Mr. Porco and a fifth-grade student had a “drum off.”  

The Rushettes made their debut last week at a faculty retirement party and gave an encore presentation during the assembly. Their ensemble included about 15 staff members led by Mrs. Sigmund, the music teacher, and Mr. Adams, the band teacher. Their performance of "Proud Mary" has Mr. Porco and Mrs. Johnson “going, going, going to retire.”

A poem for Mrs. Johnson read by some of her fifth-graders left it hard to find a dry eye in the room.

The assembly concluded with a Music Maker’s medley of Sinatra and Chicago including "My Way," "New York, New York" and ending on a sentimental note with Chicago’s, "Please Don’t Go."

A beautiful display case handmade by Cinnaminson’s own Keith Zimecki was unveiled in the lobby at Eleanor Rush School with a dedication to Mr. Porco.

The Cinnaminson school district will miss Mr. Porco and Mrs. Johnson, but their legacies will live on in the hearts of the students, teachers and parents who they have interacted and connected with over the past 40 years.

A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.

--Henry Adams

Thank you both for your years of dedication and in the words of the Rushettes to the tune of "New York, New York," “You’ve made things great right here, You’ll do great anywhere, time to enjoy retirement!”

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