FRAMINGHAM — Alanna Maida made school a place where students wanted to go, and was the type of teacher parents loved to have for their children.
Maida, a longtime teacher at the Potter Road Elementary School, died unexpectedly on Wednesday after an undisclosed medical emergency. She was 54.
“I told this to my husband — she was the kind of person you would want your child to have as a teacher,” said Principal Alana Cyr. “She made every student in her class feel like they belonged. She made them feel special in their own wonderful way. Nothing ever ruffled her feathers. Kids loved being in her class.”
Maida, of Foxborough, had been a teacher at Potter Road Elementary since 1992, starting right after graduating from Boston University. She spent many years as a third grade teacher but switched to fourth grade once school resumed in-class after the pandemic.
Besides teaching at school, Maida was also a longtime Irish step dancing instructor at a school her mother had started, Cyr said.
More: ‘Humanizes our people.’ Framingham schools chief hosts podcast on Spotify, YouTube
On Wednesday, Superintendent of Schools Robert Tremblay, as well as counselors from throughout the district, visited Potter Road Elementary to help break the news to students about Maida’s unexpected death and to offer counseling.
“It was very difficult for the students, particularly the students in grade four and five,” said Cyr. “The grief was really coming out. I hope I never have to see children have to grieve like that again.”
Several people posted messages saying goodbye to Maida on her obituary’s guest book.
“She was my favorite teacher, and I loved her,” one 10-year-old student wrote. “She was so kind to me.”
A parent wrote: “Mrs. Maida taught both of my children in the past few years at Potter Road. She was a constant cheerleader for them both in school and outside of school, taking time out of her weekend to cheer them on at basketball games. She made them feel safe in school and taught them so many lessons — the most important to being how to be a good friend and member of the community.”
Maida was a mother of five, and they were the most important thing to her, Cyr said.
“She loved her kids,” said Cyr. “If you heard her talk about her children — they were the center of her world. Everything she did was for them.”
More: ‘A balancing act’: Framingham schools cellphones policy stops short of a full ban
A GoFundMe has been created to help support Maida’s family.
“Any of you who knew Alanna personally knew that she was the kindest and gentlest person,” according to the fundraising request. “She was a schoolteacher and an Irish Step Dancing teacher for many years and touched the lives of many children and adults alike. She was always willing to help and support her students. Her children meant everything to her, and she was the best mom that anyone could ask for. Anything that we can pull together to help her five kids in the coming days, weeks and months would be greatly appreciated and we appreciate any donation big or small.”
The GoFundMe is seeking $50,000. As of Friday afternoon, it had raised $28,690.
Calling hours for Maida will be from 4-8 p.m. Tuesday at the P.E. Murray-F.J. Higgins, George F. Doherty & Sons Funeral Homes, 2000 Centre St., West Roxbury. A funeral Mass will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the St. John Chrysostom Church, 4750 Washington St., West Roxbury.
Each year the fifth grade at Potter Road Elementary gives a gift to the school, Cyr said. This year, the staff will be working with them to create a memorial to Maida.
“On Tuesday, we’re inviting students and staff members, teacher or student, to wear purple to honor her,” said Cyr. “It was her favorite color.”
Norman Miller can be reached at 508-626-3823 or nmiller@wickedlocal.com. For up-to-date public safety news, follow him on X @Norman_MillerMW or on Facebook at facebook.com/NormanMillerCrime.
This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: Framingham elementary school teacher Alanna Maida dies unexpectedly
