Mass. teacher retention rates still down from pre-pandemic levels NBC Boston [Video]

Though she’s no longer teaching, Kimberlee Maniscalco’s thoughts often find their way back to her students.

 “I loved them and taught them as if they were family to me. We were. I called them our class family,” she said.

 The fond memories of her kindergarten class in Winthrop live on in the mementos and keepsakes she still holds on to.

Leaving these sweet faces and a job she’s dreamt of having since the second grade was difficult, but as a new school year begins, Maniscalco – or “Ms. M” as her kids called her – says she made the right decision to step away from teaching.

“As far as leaving, I knew I wanted to. It was just making that jump was very scary” said Maniscalco, “I worked so hard for this. I didn’t even see anything else as a potential, and I weighed with it a lot. It was …