Celebrating the Legacy of Madame Connie Lalonde

After 26 Years at Wakefield, Madame will retire at the end of the year. 

“Madame Lalonde may have been my French teacher by title, but what she really taught was something bigger—how to show up for people, how to care deeply, and how to live each day with sincerity and heart.”
—Sky (Cushman) Glaser, '08

After 26 years of inspiring students and colleagues alike, Madame Connie Lalonde will retire at the end of this school year, closing a remarkable chapter in Wakefield’s story. A beloved French teacher, advisor, and alumni parent, Madame Lalonde has brought joy, culture, and her unmistakable joie de vivre to generations of Owls.

She has shaped the lives of hundreds of students with her warmth, creativity, and unwavering enthusiasm for both language and life.

From her classroom-turned–French café to her famous crêpes and Mardi Gras celebrations, Madame Lalonde brought learning to life with signature flair. “Walking into her classroom was like visiting a French museum, hotel, and restaurant all rolled into one,” recalled longtime colleague Judy Lawrence. Whether students were playing pétanque, practicing conversational French, or exploring global traditions, her lessons were always joyful, hands-on, and memorable.

For one current parent, those lessons even reached home:

“Daily during first semester this year, my son would come home speaking absolute gibberish (aka French to my untaught ears),” she wrote. “He loved practicing the language and even tried to teach me some phrases. Merci beaucoup, Madame Lalonde, for instilling un amour du français in your students—so much so that some of us parents have learned some French too!”

Her impact was never confined to the classroom. Former Head of School Peter Quinn described her as “creative, enthusiastic, dedicated… a fabulous blend of no-nonsense and whimsy.” He added, “It’s hard to imagine we would have succeeded without her energy, enthusiasm, and common sense; she helped us through some challenging years and never lost her piece of the Wakefield vision.”

Colleagues remember her fashion sense (always chic, always strappy heels), her humor, and her steady presence as a trusted friend and teammate. She was the type of teacher who would make a cassette tape for a nervous new student to practice French songs at home, or show up at a volleyball game with peppermint oil to help the team relax before a big match.

Students remember her just as vividly. One alum called her “an iconic part of Wakefield,” adding,

“I may not remember all the French, but I’ll never forget her energy, her laughter, and how much she cared. Madame Lalonde may have been my French teacher by title, but what she really taught was something bigger—how to show up for people, how to care deeply, and how to live each day with sincerity and heart.”

Another student put it more simply:

“If I had to describe her in one word, it would be funny. And I’ll always remember Mardi Gras—it taught me how fun French could be.”

Madame Lalonde’s legacy is woven into the fabric of Wakefield’s global learning program, where her imagination and energy have left a lasting mark. As she retires after 26 extraordinary years, we celebrate not just her career but the joy, warmth, and generosity she has shared with everyone fortunate enough to know her.
 

Merci, Madame Lalonde, for teaching us all that learning—and living—are best done with heart, humor, and a little flair.