A familiar face to generations of Mattapoisett families will be retiring at the end of the academic year. Rose Bowman has been a principal in Mattapoisett for 24 years and in education for 50 years. She'll begin the next phase of her life in June.

How Hard Was the Decision to Retire for Rose Bowman?

Bowman thought about retiring for a very, very long time. "It was so hard for me to leave because it was part of me. This is who I am," she said. "The families, the staff, the kids – I couldn't imagine life without these interactions."

It's a milestone year for Bowman; she has been working in education for 50 years and will retire at 72 years old.

"I was teaching seven-year-olds 50 years ago," she said. "Those kids are 57 years old now. Some of them beat me to retirement!"

"Kids celebrate the moment. They don't worry about what happened before or what's coming up. They celebrate what they're doing in this moment in time with the people they're with. That's the greatest lesson I've learned from the children."

What Rose Bowman Will Do When She Retires

First thing will be some rest and relaxation. Her favorite hobby is knitting, but she also wants to make sure she keeps a link with the outside world. Watch for her to volunteer to work with children in some capacity.

Something That Rose Bowman Won't Miss After Retiring

Without any hesitation, Bowman said she won't miss the night meetings.

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Where Did Rose Bowman's Catchphrase "It Fills My Heart With Joy" Come From?

All the big stars have a catchphrase, and so does Bowman. "It fills my heart with joy" is spoken by Mrs. Bowman at every school-wide assembly.

"They all tease me about it. Even the kids say it to me now," Bowman laughed.

When she sees former students out and about, she says they still love to give her grief about it. Where did it come from?

"I guess it's just the pure feeling that I feel when I'm with these children and when I work with the staff," she said. "It's the only way I can describe my inner emotion. It's absolute joy."

What Lesson Did She Learn From the Children?

"Kids celebrate the moment," she said. "They don't worry about what happened before or what's coming up. They celebrate what they're doing in this moment in time with the people they're with. That's the greatest lesson I've learned from the children."

Bowman will officially retire on June 30, 2022.

"This is the job I was meant to have, and I've been blessed to have it so many years," she said.

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