By Ron Savagé
Retirements at Pueblo High School are always sad occasions for the staff and students who have to bear the agony of missing these employees, but retirements are especially sad in December because part of our beloved Pueblo community will not be with us in the new year.
But, Ms. Rosalie Sinteral, Pueblo’s registration attendance clerk for the past six years, has made up her mind. After juggling with the idea of staying another semester or even another full school year, she announced several weeks ago that she would, indeed, retire after more than 31 years in Tucson Unified School District.
“Despite knowing how much I’m going to hate leaving my Pueblo family, it’s time I retire,” Sinteral said. “I just feel that it’s the right time for me at this point in my life.”
Sinteral began her years in the district at several elementary schools—three years at Manzo, 17 years at Ochoa and five years at Grijalva. After her husband passed away, she decided to devote more time at work, which is what motivated her to come to Pueblo, where she works virtually year-round.
“I wanted to be at a school where I could work full-time,” Sinteral said. “When I first came to Pueblo, I needed to work more hours because it was good for my soul.”
Despite being a Tucson High School graduate (1976), Sinteral said that part of her heart is here at Pueblo.
“I’ve always felt at home here,” Sinteral said. “Truly, over the past six years, Pueblo’s staff is like a giant welcoming family who has always made me feel loved.”
Students, too, have expressed their love for Sinteral.
“Some of the students I knew from Grijalva Elementary School are here at Pueblo,” she added. “And there’s no way that I’m going to miss their graduation ceremonies in the next two or three years.”
She added that she felt especially close to students when they called her “Nana”, “Tia” or just simply, “Rosalie”.
“I never thought of students calling me by my first name was disrespectful,” Sinteral said, “because to me it just meant they felt they could trust me or they felt closer to me, like a friend.”
Sinteral said that she will also be returning for sporting events—as well as occasionally popping in to have lunch with her “lunch pals”, Ms. Susie Ugalde, administrative secretary, and Ms. Amalia Salazar, Native American student services counselor.
“These two ladies have been a lot of fun to know and have made my job a whole lot easier,” Sinteral said.
The feeling is definitely mutual…
Salazar said, “Rosalie has been a very good friend to me. She has exceptional qualities, including a willingness to always help make our lives easier here at Pueblo. She will be greatly missed. I’d like to personally say to Rosalie: ‘Enjoy your retirement to the fullest, and thank you for your gift of friendship.’”
Ugalde said, “For the thousands of people who came through those main doors, Rosalie was always welcoming and respectful. Personally, she has been a great friend to me in the six years. She also always remembered everybody’s birthdays! I will so very much miss having lunch with her.”
Sinteral said that she’s not the “rocking chair” type. She plans to spend time with her mother, as well as her nine grandchildren—who vary in age from 20 years old to 11 months old.
“Maybe I’ll have the time to finally travel like I’ve always wanted to,” Sinteral said. “I’ve always wanted to go to Hawai’i, so that is high on my list. Also, I would love to visit an old friend in San Antonio [Tex.] and, of course, go see Graceland in Memphis [the home of Elvis Presley].”
Sinteral especially wants to thank everybody at Pueblo for being the “special community” it has been for her—and always will be.
“There’s a magic here at Pueblo that I have seldom felt anywhere else,” she added. “I never want to hear that magic disappearing. What a wonderful, magical place this has been for me!”
Upon retirement, Sinteral said that she just wants to take life one day at a time.
“I don’t want to stress about my future,” Sinteral said. “I don’t want to miss the whole point of retirement.”
