Oakville Teacher Touched by Board and Administration Volunteer Effort

Mehlville school board members and administrators reached out to a teacher recovering from a tragic loss when they volunteered at Karen Torretta’s house May 12.

Torretta and her husband, who died suddenly in February, had planned a landscaping project that went unfinished.

“To me, this was a wonderful example that as teachers and as administrators and as board members, we do have the ability to work together even when sometimes we are on opposite sides,” she said.

The Oakville math teacher and past Mehlville National Education Association president spoke at the school board meeting Thursday to convey her thanks to the board and administration.

“I got a call from (Communications Coordinator) Robin Anderson and went to see what it was I could do to help her,” Torretta said. “And instead learned, that it was the desire of the board and the central office staff to help me.”

Torretta has spent the last 21 years teaching in the district and said the effort greatly helped her family’s healing process.

“Saturday afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, I sat on my porch swing and read a book and enjoyed the beautiful view,” she said.