By Traci Newell

Joe Hu/Town Crier Retiring teacher Joanne Holland helps one of her students.

When Ryan Kull’s mother asked him about his second-grade teacher, his eyes lit up as he said, “She’s the best.”

That teacher is Joanne Holland, who, after 37 years in the Montclaire Elementary School classroom, plans to retire at the end of the school year.

“I can’t imagine what it would be like to teach without my piano in this room,” Holland said. “We sing everyday.”

Parents and students will sorely miss the music enthusiast, who can often be seen playing her piano and singing along with “Mrs. Holland’s Opus,” her students.

“She is just such a warm person,” said Amy Kull, the room mother for her son Ryan’s class. “She really knows how to make the children feel special.”

Holland began her career as a student-teacher in the Cupertino Union School District and remained in the district throughout her career. She came to Montclaire in Los Altos in 1988. Her two sons, Andy and Peter, went to Montclaire, and she has lived around the corner for nearly 30 years.

Although Holland said she will miss the joys of the classroom, her husband, Bill, retired from teaching at Leigh High School in San Jose last year and she felt the time was right for her to say goodbye.

Holland taught all three of Therese McKenna’s children. “Mrs. Holland is just a wonderful, warm and caring teacher,” she said. “The children feel real loved and safe in her room.”

It is well known throughout the Montclaire community that students want to be in Holland’s class.

“She’s everyone’s dream teacher,” Kull said. “The people in the neighborhood love her, too. She is just one of those really special people.”

Teri Zingale, another Holland parent, said she was amazed by how well Holland got to know her daughter.

“She knew so much about my daughter’s personal life,” Zingale said. “She became the children’s friend, yet she was still just a gem of a teacher.”

“Personality is a big part of it,” according to Holland. “Once you get those children to bond with you, they will just do anything for you.”

Holland has her students well trained. Last week, her class was making invitations for their end-of-the-year opera and the children didn’t even realize they were practicing writing and grammar. Holland said she likes to make the students feel comfortable as she teaches, almost as if they are doing another activity altogether.

“I teach reading through music,” Holland said. “They don’t even realize they are getting practice as they read the lyrics of the song.”

Additionally, Zingale said, Holland is an expert in understanding the differences in every child.

“She seemed to have a real grasp on each child’s weaknesses,” Zingale said. “She was really good at working with the children on that, without revealing their weaknesses.”

Holland said one of the most challenging parts of being a teacher is meeting every child’s needs. She said she will miss most the constant “pats on the back” from the parents and children that she receives almost daily.

“I will miss opening the door and seeing those bright faces every day,” Holland said.

After decades of teaching, Holland said, she feels great gratification from her career. Though she is leaving the Montclaire community, her legacy will live on. Kull said she has been a mentor to her partner teacher, Kathy Fitzgerald.

Holland stressed the importance of passion in teachers.

“It seems to me that a teacher’s passion is pretty infectious to children and they buy right into that,” she said. “I can’t think of anything more important than teaching the children.”