Udupi: St. John’s High School, Shankerpura bids farewell to Alice Helen Alva

By Alphonse Mendonsa
Bellevison Media Network

Udupi, 25 Aug 2017: The students of St. John High School Shankerpura (Kannada Medium) bid a tearful and emotional farewell to their loving teacher on Thursday the 24th August 2017 at the community hall Pangla.

 

After diligently serving 36 long years and 3 months the well known and loving teacher Alice Helen Alva will be officially retiring on 31st August 2017. To bid her a proper good bye and wish her good and healthy retired life, the students, the staff, Old Students Association and advisory board organized a send off function attended by all students of Kannada Medium, the staff and members of Parish Council and Correspondence of St. John Evangelist Educational Institutions Rev. Fr. Ferdinand Gonsalves.   

 

The farewell function began with a prayer song by students followed by a warm welcome by oen of the teacher Mr. Ashwin Rodrigues wherein he accorded a warm welcome to teacher Alice Alva, her husband Mr. Fredrick Saldanha, son Faber and daughter in law Jane.

 

 

He also welcomed on dais the Correspondence Fr. Ferdinand Gonsalves, Fr. Vincent Coelho, Mr. Mark Vaz (VP Parish Council), Ms. Clara Mendonsa (Secretary, Parish Council and former HM), Mr. Mohandas Shetty (HM), and Mr. Victor Mendonsa (President Old Students Association).

 

Miss Lilian D’Souza expressed her feelings on behalf of all the students and praised teacher Alice for her dedication to teach students with love and care. Ms. Ashumpta D’Mello also spoke on behalf of staff and thanked Alice teacher for her companionship love and affection during her tenure in the school.

 

Mr. Mohandas Shetty, read the citation detailing her service of long 36 years wherein it was stated that she joined the school as a teacher on 6th June 1981 and here dedicated service to the St. John’s School and especially the students. It mentioned that she has taken care of every aspect of the student’s education and made them to education as a parent of the child, corrected them whenever it was needed and above all taken special classes during exams on Sundays and holidays even. Her only goal was to make every student felt special and excel in education and stand on their feet as finest student of the school.

 

After reading out citation, Alice teacher was honoured by guests on dais with a traditional shawl, a flower garland, a fruit basket and a citation.

 

Alice teacher in her adieu speech thanked each and everyone especially Rev. Fr. Late Gabriel D’Souza who was her first correspondent of the school who trusted her with huge responsibility. Thereafter she remembered every priests, head masters and teachers she was associated with and was very grateful to all of them. She did not forget to mention the love and affection and sacrifices of the family during her long tenure especially her husband Mr. Fredrick Saldanha and her son and daughter Faber and Frenil.

 

Finally, she bid a very emotional and tearful farewell to all the students and staff with whom she was associated with.

 

 

On the occasion Mark Vas (VP Parish Council) and Rev. Fr. Ferdinand praised her for her dedicated service to the school and students. Mark Vaz highlighted her responsibility to the students and mentioned her co-operation and co-ordination during various school activities and programs. Fr. Ferdinand said though he has just joined Shankerpura School as Correspondent he has learned a lot about Alice teacher and her dedicated service to the school and students. She not only taught regular classes but also taught catechism on Sundays and thanked for her sacrifice for the school as well for the church. Both of them wished her good health and happy retirement days ahead.

 

On the auspicious occasion, all the staff current and former greeted her with flower bouquets. All the students too wished her with roses and bid a tearful adieu.  

 

Ms. Linet D’Sa proposed vote of thanks and Ms. Leena D’Souza conducted the farewell function.