Blessed Sacrament teacher retiring after 28 years

Courtesy photo/ Marianna Pickers

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Jeanne Lindmar, who has taught at Blessed Sacrament Catholic School since 1989, will retire after the end of the 2017 school year. She is shown doing a hands-on science project with students.

SANDY — Jeanne Lindmar has taught at Blessed Sacrament School since it began in a small, borrowed room in Blessed Sacrament Church, until it grew to the full-fledged school it is today. She will be retiring at the end of May, saying goodbye to the school that she has affected and has affected her in turn, she said.

All of the time teaching at Blessed Sacrament was wonderful, said Lindmar, who started as the P.E. teacher for all the grades, but eventually began teaching 7th and 8th grade science and social studies.

She has worked under every principal the school has had as well.

One of the things she likes best about teaching is the interactions with the students.

“Seeing the light bulbs go on” when she helps them through a tough problem never gets old, but the best part about her time at Blessed Sacrament was watching the kids and school change and grow around her, Lindmar said.

Each year Blessed Sacrament would grow a bit more, she said. Before the school built its gym in 1997, all physical education activities were held in the lunch room. She and the students had to rush to stack all the tables and chairs against the lunch room wall so they could have P.E., then put them all back again before the hungry students filed in for lunch. Then, they had to do it all over again for the afternoon P.E. classes, she said, laughing.

It was wonderful to see Blessed Sacrament growing, gaining the facilities and equipment it needed to become an amazing school, Lindmar said.

She saw not only the school grow, but the kids that she taught as well.

“I’ve taught (many students) from pre-K to 8th grade,” and for many kids, she’s the only P.E. teacher they’ve ever known, Lindmar said. “Students that I have taught, I’m now teaching their kids. That’s very rewarding.”

One of her former students, Alberto Cruz, who graduated from Blessed Sacrament in 1996, remembers her clearly.

“She was full of energy (and) so impressive with the kids,” he said. “She was just fun and impacted me in a positive way.”

One memory that stands out for Cruz was from the 3rd grade, his first year at Blessed Sacrament. Lindmar was the first person to teach him how to tie his shoes.

“It’s not something you learn in one day,” he said, laughing. “She was patient with me. Her best quality is patience. (And) she was always there.”

Bryan Penn, principal of Blessed Sacrament School, met Lindmar when he began as a teacher in 1999.

“She showed me the ropes as a new teacher,” he said, and remembered how eager she was to be of help to him as he began his time at Blessed Sacrament. “She’s super positive … and always has a smile on her face,” Penn said. “She’s brought a lot to Blessed Sacrament as well.”

Lindmar began the students’ trips to the Tetons Science School in the fall, which is now a semi-annual tradition. She began doing that trip about five years ago because she wanted the kids to get a better grounding in science and just have a fun time, Penn said.

“She loves the kids … and her positive attitude, the behind-the-scenes stuff” she does at Blessed Sacrament will be impossible to replace, he said. “We’re very sad to see her go.”

Though it is hard to think of Lindmar leaving the school she has taught in since its beginning, “she has left an awesome footprint on Blessed Sacrament School,” that will be felt long after she has left, Cruz said.