After a devoted and fulfilling 31-year teaching career, Mrs. Ginger Block will retire from the Port Washington School District at the end of June.
Mrs. Block has lived with her husband, Lewis, raising their four boys, Jess, Sawyer, Cole and Jake, in the Port Washington community for 32 years. She has been teaching at Manorhaven Elementary School for the last 19 years.
Mrs. Block received her teaching degree at SUNY Oswego. She spent one year at the University of Puerto Rico as an exchange student and perfected her Spanish language skills. She also received her Master’s degree in Special Education from Adelphi University. Mrs. Block began her career as an English as a Second Language Teacher in the Long Beach City Schools, and she spent an additional 10 years in the North Babylon School District as a special education teacher. After taking time away to raise her four wonderful boys, Mrs. Block joined the teaching staff at Manorhaven School, where she has continued to work for almost two decades as a special education teacher.
At Manorhaven School, Mrs. Block is known for creating a warm and welcoming environment for all her students, truly a sanctuary where children feel comfortable sharing ideas and growing as learners. Mrs. Block has always believed in supporting her students, not just academically, but also socially and emotionally. For years, Mrs. Block has served as Manorhaven’s Ms. Dignity, promoting kindness and fairness for everyone and helping to create a positive school community. Mrs. Block has also served on several school committees, earned advanced degrees in education and has been an active member of the Port Washington Teachers Association and the Manorhaven Players and Singers. She has also traveled to Japan as part of the U.S. Educators Tour. In addition, she participated in the Educators’ Program at the Greentree Foundation, where she learned about teaching children about our environment. Mrs. Block even learned how to raise quail.
In Mrs. Block’s retirement, she is looking forward to spending time with her family and traveling with her husband. As a lifelong learner, Mrs. Block also wants to share her passion for education through volunteer work in the community. In her free time, Mrs. Block enjoys reading, knitting, crafting, decorating as well as all things Outlander. She also loves writing and looks forward to sharing this love with others.
Mrs. Block’s family, friends and colleagues will be honoring her at a retirement party at Louie’s Prime Steak House & Seafood on Thursday, May 16, 2024. Anyone interested in the event details can contact Lisa at lcooper10@mac.com with the subject line “Mrs. Block’s Retirement Party” by May 1. 2024.
Mrs. Block will always remember her students and colleagues fondly. If any former students, parents or colleagues would like to share any memorable stories or well wishes, please email Lisa at lcooper10@mac.com with the subject line, “Mrs. Block’s Retirement Memory”.
—Submitted by Lisa Cooper
