All of the Cape Elizabeth community is invited to a reception honoring Mary Bruns, longtime Cape Elizabeth educator, on Friday, Jan. 25, from 2:30-5:30 p.m., at the Purpoodock Club.

Bruns, who began her career with the School Department as a teacher in 1967, will retire from her current position as assistant to the superintendent at the end of December.

Bruns has served as assistant to the superintendent since 1990, working with superintendents Connie Goldman, Cynthia Mowles, Tom Forcella, Bob Lyman and currently Alan Hawkins.

Besides her longtime career of teaching fourth-, fifth- and sixth-graders, Bruns developed and maintained a performance-based pay system and staff development program for teachers, and served as site director of a state teacher-certification pilot program in Cape Elizabeth.