Honoring the Legacy of Mrs. Michelle Redabaugh

After 21 years at Wakefield, Mrs. Redabaugh will retire at the end of the school year. 

“There are not many people who can say they’ll be remembered for the next 90 years. All of those students you have taught will remember you until the day they die. What a legacy.”
—Audrey Miner, Grandparent

After 21 years of shaping the hearts and minds of Wakefield’s youngest learners, Mrs. Michelle Redabaugh will retire at the end of this school year, marking the close of an extraordinary era for our community. A beloved kindergarten teacher and alumni parent, she has been the gentle, steady hand guiding countless Owls through their very first school days.

In Mrs. Redabaugh’s classroom, students discovered more than letters and numbers—they discovered belonging. With patience, humor, and unwavering kindness, she built a space where curiosity thrived and every child was seen, valued, and celebrated. “Morning meetings always made it a good morning when I was tired,” one student recalled. “I remember fighting for the spot next to her on the rug—and when I finally got it, that’s when we really talked.”

Her colleagues and families describe her as “gentle,” “loving,” and “the heart of kindergarten.” One parent reflected,

“Mrs. Redabaugh is why I fell in love with Wakefield. Her enthusiasm, her patience, her ability to discipline with kindness—she encompasses it all. I still go to her classroom first to give hugs when I’m in the school.”

Another parent shared,

“You inspire kindness, enthusiasm, love, and light. [My daughter] and I were so fortunate to have you as her first teacher at Wakefield. You were such an important part of developing her as a student and as a person.”

To generations of families, Mrs. Redabaugh was not just a teacher—she was a reassuring presence and, often, a lifelong friend. Former Head of School Peter Quinn described her as “kind, protective of her little people, always upbeat and enthusiastic about the day, and intensely focused on foundational skills and knowledge.”

Even those who have long since graduated remember Mrs. Redabaugh’s warmth and humor in those first lessons. One former student laughed, recalling her help with a kindergarten project when he wrote a book about “how a bus works—entirely incorrectly,” while another shared simply, “Thank you for teaching me how to be a good student and a model citizen.” Both memories capture what so many have said over the years: that she made learning joyful and mistakes part of the adventure.

Colleague Judy Lawrence summed it up best:

“It takes a special person to love and teach a class of little ones and set the foundation for future growth academically, socially, and morally—and Michelle has done exactly that. Her kind, nurturing, and professional style has been a true gift to the Wakefield community.”

Through morning meetings, outdoor classroom adventures, gingerbread cookies, and Mystery Reader visits, Mrs. Redabaugh built traditions that defined the start of school for hundreds of children—and their families. Her presence in those first moments of learning will be felt at Wakefield for generations to come.

As Mrs. Redabaugh retires after 21 years of devoted service, we celebrate the profound mark she leaves on our school and in our hearts. Her legacy lives on in every confident, curious, and kind student who first learned to love school in her care.

Thank you, Mrs. Redabaugh, for filling Wakefield’s earliest years with joy, patience, and love. You are forever part of the Wakefield story.