McKinley School Principal Mr. Mac Retires

GRIDLEY, CA (MPG) – Gridley Unified School District Administration, staffers, teachers, generations of students and families took to the streets Friday to celebrate a retiring local legend, Principal Mr. Mac.

Chris McIntire joined the GUSD in 1985 as principal of McKinley school and has been a beloved fixture there ever since. Generations of families, in the form of students, have passed through the halls under his watch and former students even work with him.  But all good things come to an end. Mr. Mac has decided to join his wife and fellow educator, Mrs. (Cindy) Mac, in retirement after a 34 plus year teaching career.

Due to the 2019-2020 school year being hijacked by COVID19, celebrations have been forced to evolve. Regardless, McKinley School clerk, Adriana Martinez, knew that something special had to be done to celebrate Mr. Mac, so she took it upon herself to organize a secret parade in his honor, Friday, May 1^st. Of planning the parade, Martinez said, “this town will come together…. This will be something they will look forward to,” but little did she know how many would turn out.

In appropriate fashion, Mr. Mac was outfitted with a crown and king-style chair as he took up his post alongside Sycamore St. outside of McKinley School. Supporters joined alongside him, and soon blaring car horns announced the arrival of the parade of vehicles. Decked in signs and balloons, smiling faces cheered and waved from vehicle windows to Mr. Mac as they rolled by. At one point, both lanes of Sycamore were filled with revelers and the line of cars stretched as far as the eye could see. As he watched the un-ending approach, Mr. Mac was awestruck, “This is so crazy!” he said. The love for Mr. Mac could not be contained and some just had to jump from the vehicles to give the legend a hug.

There to support his colleague, Superintendent Jordan Reeves shared his thanks saying, “Obviously, we’re going to miss him. 30 plus years in the district, I mean, he’s an icon...It’s just amazing. The number of lives he’s touched, and he knows everybody, and he’s been in the community his whole life... He is just a great example of an educator who gave a career for kids and community. We just appreciate everything he has done.”

As the commotion dwindled down, Mr. Mac thanked all that gathered around him, taking pictures with past and current students and visiting with friends. Of the whole event, he said, “I mean, it’s just a great testament of what our community is about and I’ve always loved Gridley and the kids… That was very emotional for me and surprising! Like I said, I’ve always loved the kids at Gridley and the parents… what a great send off.”