BLYTHEWOOD – Cassandra Portee retired last spring after 42 years teaching music to Richland Two students, 38 of those at Bethel-Hanberry. And it has been one big round of retirement parties ever since.
She made the last stop on her retirement tour Monday night at the Blythewood Town Council meeting where she was invited to receive a proclamation for her long and dedicated service to the families of Blythewood.
For over four decades, Cassandra Portee, 65, taught thousands of Blythewood children to sing and perform. But many of those former students say she taught them something more – how to believe in themselves.
For Portee, retirement closes a career that became intertwined with generations of Blythewood families.
When she retired after the 2025-2026 school year, Portee was teaching the children of many of her former students.