Many know my ringtone alternates. If it’s my mom calling, you’ll hear “You Got a Call from Mama” (to the tune of “La Bamba”). But if it’s anyone else, it’s Frank Sinatra’s “My Way.”
I can recall how sometimes the phone would ring in class, and my students would sing along, just a few voices at first, and then more. I always smiled. My heart jumped a little, knowing that so many students, young people from a different time and world, could still appreciate an old Italian crooner from my parents’ generation.
And now, my friends… this is my final ringtone to all of you: It is “My Way.” Stracco Style.
(To the tune of “My Way” by Frank Sinatra)
And now, the end is near,
And so I face the final school bell.
My friends, I’ll say it clear—
I’ve had a great run, and it went well.
I’ve taught until I’ve had my fill,
Directed shows both wild and wordy.
Faced IXL with quiet rage,
And did it all—dramatic, sturdy.
Regrets? I’ve had a few—
Like trusting block scheduling to make good sense.
Useless meetings? Sat through a slew—
Each one is a test of teacher patience.
I taught students how to speak,
To own the stage, to spark and fire.
Public Speaking found its voice,
Lit hearts and lifted spirits higher.
But through it all, when there was doubt,
I ate it up, (a lot of that!).
I faced it all, both thin and fat,
And did it my way.
I’ve laughed, I’ve cried, I’ve screamed
(Softly, in closets, on committees).
I built a GSA,
A place where kids could just feel pretty.
To think I did all that—
And may I say, not in a shy way—
Oh no, not me—
I did it my way.
For what is a teacher, what has he got?
If not his voice, then he is not.
To say the things he truly feels,
Not just perform, but help kids heal.
The record shows, I took the blows…
And did it myyyyy wayyyyy.
Stracco’s Final Curtain Call
To the administration, faculty, and staff of this 24-year production: thank you. Each of you has played a supporting role in this story. Thank you for the trust, the laughter, the moments between the acts.
To my students: You were the plot twist, the unexpected comedy, the standing ovation. You challenged me, inspired me, and filled my days with purpose. You were the reason I got up every morning, and the reason I’m walking away with a full heart.
To my colleagues: You were the tech crew—the ones who made the magic happen behind the scenes. Quietly, selflessly, brilliantly. Underpaid, overworked, and miraculously caffeinated. I love you all for it.
To the block schedule: Please, seek professional help. We still don’t know what day it is.
This was the role of a lifetime. Though my curtain is falling, and I take my final bow, but I know Ms. Katz is waiting in the wings. Please give her the spotlight she so deserves.
And as I say at the end of every class:
“I love you all, and there’s nothing you can do about it. Peace be with you.”Until we meet again,
Mr. S