How did teachers spend their Thanksgiving?  For teachers Ms. Lea Sanford, Mr. Ryan Pace, and Ms. Jane Burke, Thanksgiving was made up of family, food, and games.

Ms. Burke likes all the traditional foods including turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, scalloped corn, fruit salad, rolls and pies. She likes all of these foods just as long as they are made the way she likes to eat them. Burke said she was spoiled as a child and that her mom had to make, ”two of everything – one for the family and another that was special ordered for me.”

Traditional foods  seem to be part of everyone’s holiday meals, and for Pace and Sanford, sugar is a key ingredient of some of their favorite dishes. “My favorite dish is NPR’s Susan Stamberg’s cranberry relish,” said Sandford. If you aren’t familiar with cranberry relish it is a condiment made from uncooked crushed cranberries and sugar. 

Pace’s family dinner tradition is sweet potato casserole. “It started with my great, great grandmother and we still eat it today. My fiancé and I made it this year,” said Mr.Pace. 

At least two of the teachers shared an opinion about one part of the Thanksgiving feast that they never like eating- vegetable-type casseroles. For Pace it is corn casserole because it reminds him of mushy baby food. For Sanford, it is the “disgusting” green bean casserole.  

Watching football is tradition for many families. “For me, having football on has always been a tradition” said Pace.

But Sanford said she doesn’t care for it much. She enjoys watching the Macy’s parade and going for a walk more than football. Playing board games is more of a tradition for Burke.  “We always played Trivia Pursuit,” said Burke.  The game brings up good memories for Burke of her mother who would always shout the answer even when it wasn’t her turn. 

2020 is criticized a lot for being the worst year,but Burke, Pace and Sanford are still very thankful. “Getting to watch our team have such a successful season meant the world to me. Watching our guys who mostly started playing tennis their first day of high school go beat up on kids who have taken private lessons since they were five was awesome. Our Spartans are special. This also translates into the classroom. Our students battle through so much and overcome the odds to be amazing young people” said Pace. 

Burke is thankful for her job and that she is surrounded by “great kids almost everyday.” 

Sanford, like Pace and Burke, had lots to say about what she is thankful for.  Top on her list is the time she got to spend with her mom and dad over break.  “They are my two favorite people in the universe”, said Sanford.