It wasn’t a goodbye but rather a celebration Saturday as the Hendricken community thanked John A. Jackson for his tenure and leadership at the all-boys school. Following a mass at Our Lady of Providence Seminary, a party was held at the Warwick Country Club. Jackson started teaching at Hendricken in 1976 and was there when the bishop decided to close the school because of declining enrollment and financial burdens. But the bishop relented when parents rallied and the Christian Brothers stepped in. Jackson succeeded Brother Thomas Leto to become the first lay president of the school in 2011. He announced his plan to retire this month in June. His successor has not been named. Jackson’s co-workers, students over the years, classmates from the early years of Hendricken and family turned out to pay tribute to Jackson’s commitment and lasting contribution to the school. Jackson spoke of his love for the school and why he chose to make it his life’s work. “My reflection after 46 years of life at Hendricken is that it is a blessed institution – whenever I talk about Hendricken I say that I don’t know how my life would have turned out without Hendricken, but I cannot imagine it being any better.” (Warwick Beacon photos)