In her retirement, St. Vincent de Paul School teacher will miss interacting with students

Friday, May. 06, 2016

SALT LAKE CITY — Rhea Hristou has been a part of the St. Vincent de Paul School community for more than 30 years; her three children attended the school before she began teaching second grade there in 1995.

Now, after teaching for 21 years, Hristou is preparing to retire.  

“I always knew I wanted to be a teacher; I was around children a lot as a babysitter and worked with them at summer camps in Montana, where I grew up, and that influenced my wanting to become a teacher,” she said.

Hristou began her career teaching first and third grades in the public school system before starting a family. 

When her oldest son went to high school and her youngest son started first grade, “the time was perfect for me to start teaching again,” said Hristou.

“I’ve really enjoyed teaching second grade because the kids receive their First Communion and first Reconciliation; I’ve loved teaching them the sacraments,” she said. “It has been a real gift for me because the kids are so open to learning and they are so excited about receiving Jesus that they are very moral; they want to do the right thing, and learn how to do it right.” 

Every year the kindergarten and first-grade children watch while the older students receive Communion during the school Masses, “so it’s very exciting to know that in second grade they will finally get to do that, too,” Hristou said. 

Hristou praised Father John Norman, St. Vincent de Paul pastor, for reading to the children in her classroom every week. Because of these visits, they are familiar with him and “feel really comfortable about Reconciliation. They are excited about it,” she said.

Students who are not Catholic also participate in preparing for the two sacraments and are welcome to attend the First Communion Mass; the procedure is explained to their parents, Hristou said, adding that, in some cases, families make the decision to go through RCIA together while the students are in the first or second grade. 

Hristou will miss the students when she retires, she said.

“I’m going to miss the kids a lot; the St. Vincent de Paul community has been our family,” she said. “We don’t have relatives in Utah. I love the kids, the faculty and the community, but it’s time to retire.”

Hristou’s children are grown and now live in Portland and London, and “we would like to visit them as well as my mother in Montana,” she said. “I’ve learned from the children a pure, innocent happiness and acceptance in receiving God; they are just funny and have funny things to talk about, some things I’m sure their parents may not want them repeating. They are always excited about things, and their love for God is very true.” 

St. Vincent de Paul Principal Gary Green appreciates Hristou’s gifts on a parental level; two of his sons were taught by her in second grade.

“Both of my sons benefited greatly from her, and I have as a colleague and administrator,” he said. “Every principal wants someone with Rhea’s strength and wisdom on their team. Her fantastic reputation is well-deserved.”

Hristou is the “consummate Catholic school teacher,” said Mark Longe, Utah Catholic Schools superintendent, who was in administration at St. Vincent de Paul School for 19 years. 

“Rhea is very kind and caring; she lived her faith in the school, she always inspired kids to do their very best, she always worked well with the staff, she was a team player and she loved teaching and it showed in her classroom,” Longe said. “She always had wonderful lessons and activities and the kids always looked forward to being in her class. Rhea is one of those teachers who hardly missed a day. She is a very dedicated teacher; she will be deeply missed at St. Vincent.”

WHAT: Retirement celebration for Rhea Hristou

WHEN:  Thursday, June 2, 4-7 p.m. 

WHERE: St. Vincent de Paul Parish’s Holy Family Hall, 375 E. Spring Lane, SLC

Light appetizers and beverages will be served.  

RSVP by May 31 at 801-277-6702 ext. 0, or email office@stvincents-school.org. To share a story and/or well wishes for a book that will be presented to Rhea, email Carol Barman, cbarman@stvincents-school.org, by May 27.