After 15 years with Pleasant Valley and 40 years total as a teacher, Romaine Streit knew what was next.

“It is time to retire. I have wanted to retire since I was 5 years old. I didn’t want to leave home because I always had art projects,” said Streit, who taught art and STREAM at PVE.

Streit and 10 other PVE retirees were honored with a parade Saturday morning at the West End Fairgrounds in Gilbert.

In attendance were: Streit; Pat Urban, a paraprofessional for kindergarten and first grade for 13 years; John Gesiskie, who taught 24 years at PVE and two years at PVHS; Jasmeen Koehler, a paraprofessional at PVI first and later PVE for nearly 18 years; Melissa O’Keefe, who worked as a teacher in various Pleasant Valley buildings for 29 years; George Pekurny, who taught one year in Lehighton before coming to Pleasant Valley for 31 years as a first-grade teacher and one year as a STREAM teacher; his wife, Erin Pekurny, who was a fourth-grade teacher for 33 years; and Karen Deppen, a health room technician for 19 years full time and five years as a substitute.

Steve Bitto, Kathy Balch and Janice Honey were also honored, but unable to attend.

“We had to have it here because the school couldn’t host it due to the pandemic,” said Lorelle Battle, head of the Sunshine Club and a school counselor at PVE.

Usually the club, which is a teacher-run organization to uplift the building and show appreciation for our teachers on a regular basis, has a celebration at the school and a parade of school buses.

This year, due to the coronavirus pandemic, the club had to alter its plans. It gave each retiree a blue mask that says, “Retired PV Bear 2020,” which they wore during the parade and were spaced at least 6 feet apart.

“I am excited to travel to see my new grandson, take it easy this summer and walk 5 miles each day. I like to stay active,” Koehler said.

She also plans to work at a local store such as ShopRite or Dollar Tree to get out of the house a day or two each week.

O’Keefe is also excited to visit her three grandchildren, travel and “become self-sufficient. I love chickens and gardening.”

Urban’s 4-year-old grandson Liam didn’t know what the word “retire” meant, but he was excited to stand next to her as she received gifts and well-wishes from carloads of people.

One car included her 89-year-old mother, Eunice “Pinky” Kearns, who was ecstatic to get out of the house after being home a couple months.

The parade of vehicles lasted more than an hour.

Darcy Caruso, who teaches English as a Second Language at PVE, provided the grand finale. The retirees gathered around a pickup driven by Cory McKeever, a speech therapist at PVE.

In the truck’s bed, Caruso dedicated and sang Alecia Keys’ “Good Job” to the group.

After the song, the retirees gathered for a group photo and then took off their masks and tossed them in the air, as if they were graduation caps. They hugged and high-fived each other, thanking their peers for all the memories.

“I thought this was a great turnout. It was a special gift to them. I am thrilled with everyone who turned out for the parade,” Battle said.