BECKET — When Principal Mary Kay McCloskey walks into a classroom, the students' eyes light up.

For 26 years as an educator at Becket Washington School, nine of which as principal, McCloskey has put a smile on kids' faces — and that's what she’s going to miss most.

Becket Washington School Principal Mary Kay McCloskey is retiring at the end of the school year after 26 years at the school with the last nine as principal. McCloskey said it’s the right time to retire as she wants to spend more time with her husband, three adult children and her first grandchild.

“Education is part of who you are, and it's going to be hard to leave it,” she said in an interview with The Eagle on Thursday. “As [my retirement] gets closer, I’m like, ‘Oh my gosh.’ The school will always be part of me. Part of my heart.”

After 17 years as a teacher and nine years as principal, McCloskey will retire at the end of the school year. Central Berkshire Superintendent Michael Henault informed The Eagle of McCloskey’s retirement earlier this month.

Becket Washington School, a pre-K to grade five school, has an enrollment of 83 students for the current school year and is located in Becket.

"Mary Kay's legacy will surely outlast her tenure at Becket Washington," Henault wrote in an email to The Eagle. Through her demand for high academic achievement, she built a culture in which classrooms reflected her vision for rigorous, purposeful instruction grounded in the idea that all students deserve challenge and opportunity."

McCloskey said it’s the right time to retire as she wants to spend more time with her husband, three adult children and her first grandchild. Professionally, she joked that it's time for someone younger “with all the enthusiasm to come in and take over for us old people.”

Although McCloskey has spent 26 years in education, it wasn’t her initial career. After graduating from college, she worked in publishing in New York City before having children and spending more time at home. McCloskey, who now lives in Pittsfield, decided to get into education, starting at Becket Washington.

McCloskey said she has spent all 26 years at the school, with one year where she had a position serving all the elementary schools in the district.

“I was still serving Becket Washington, so I feel like I haven’t left,” she said.

McCloskey credits the children, families and staff for helping build a special school and community with the children at the heart of it.

“I laugh every day,” McCloskey said. “It’s just fun.”

Her favorite part of the job has been watching kids grow and develop over the years, and said that it’s the most gratifying part of the job.

Becket Washington School Principal Mary Kay McCloskey chats with students on Thursday. McCloskey is retiring at the end of the school year after 26 years at the school,  with the last nine as principal. “I laugh every day,” she said. “It’s just fun.”

During her time at Becket Washington, McCloskey said she is proud of the way the staff navigated COVID-19 and how they managed to still teach children despite the challenges. She is also pleased with how her staff, of roughly 30 members, has been able to address children academically, socially and emotionally.

“Given where we are in today’s world, it’s gotten ever more important,” she said, adding that they’ve added behavioral support and counseling.

Over 26 years, McCloskey said that teaching has become harder with tougher curriculum and the added social and emotional components.

“We have a lot of support, people and other programs that we’ve put in place that we can see are helping students, but they need a lot of support right now,” she said.

McCloskey is looking forward to having more free time, which will allow her to do more reading and traveling. Her husband is nearing retirement, and they plan to start a list of places to travel to, along with spending time with their children and friends.

Central Berkshire is currently looking for McCloskey’s replacement, and the salary range on the job posting is $88,000 to $98,000, and the anticipated start date is July 1. Henault said that the district will have an update on the search "very shortly."

McCloskey credits Central Berkshire administrators for their support of the school, despite it being the smallest in the district.

“I feel heard all the time and that filters out to the staff members and that makes it a happy place to work,” she said.