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14 • June 14, 2012 The Splash RETIRING Continued from page 2 was long hours, but we did a lot of planning for the building. They took us on a couple field trips to look at other schools, and we measured rooms and got some great ideas. … Once the school was up, I applied and I was fortunate to be chosen to come out here and work. It was such a beautiful, new school. Q: What was the transition like when you moved schools A: I was fortunate in the fact that I was at Greenacres before. The Liberty Lake families that were coming here were at Greenacres, too, so when they moved into the school I got to move with them. That was fun. Q: How have you seen the school evolve since you’ve been here A: Well, it’s grown. We started out, and we were told we’d have 450 students and now we have well over 600. We weren’t here very long before we had to add two new classrooms. We added more students and more family and more staff. We’ve almost outgrown the building in some ways. When we started, we had one of everything. Now we have two music teachers and two P.E. teachers and two librarians. It’s really grown. Q: Have you had an especially memorable class over the years A: Every year, something exciting has happened, and there are memories for every year. I can’t pick a favorite. I also can’t tell you what grade level I like best. I’ve liked them all. There are always new things to do. Q: What are some of the memories from your career that you’ll continue to carry with you A: One thing I remember most is the opening of the school. When we dedicated Liberty Lake Elementary, outside in the front, we had multiple generations of people from the community there. I’d never experienced anything like that before. I’d always worked in old buildings, so to come to a new school was a lot of fun. This year, we had a great time with our Native American unit that we did all of January. That was a lot of fun. Long Claw, a speaker from western Washington, came here. It was probably the best performance I’d ever seen in a school setting. He was on their level, and he taught them how important it was to have respect. It was an all-day thing, and then at night he put on a potlatch. That’s what stands out most this year. Q: Do you have a teaching philosophy A: I’m sure it’s changed. I look back at what I did the first year when I taught and sure, it’s different. But you always do what’s best for kids. Kids come first, and if something doesn’t work, you try something else. I believe all children can learn. You just have to unlock the key to how they learn. Everybody has a different learning style, and you pick that up really quick. You just try different things until they understand. When they get it, there’s your reward. Q: What do you think you’ll miss the most A: I’ll miss the sparkle in the children’s eyes when you can see that they all of the sudden get something — when they feel like they’ve accomplished something and succeeded in what they’re learning. I love sharing that with kids. Of course, I’ll miss the staff and all of that too. We’re pretty close here, and I’ve made lifelong friends. I’ll miss some of the things I get to teach. I love the Native American unit. I love math, and the kids will tell you that’s my favorite subject to teach. Q: Have you seen education and curriculums evolve over the years A: Not necessarily. Education changes all the time. What I teach today is what I taught years ago. There may be new approaches, but the bottom line has always been the same. I teach a higher level of thinking skills to my third-graders than I did before. That’s something happening across the country. I don’t know where we’re headed. I hope it’s in a positive direction. You just go with the flow. Yeah, there are things I’m concerned about, but who knows what’s going to happen Changes are coming. That’s the age we live in. I mean, when I started teaching, I didn’t have computers. Q: With 30 years in the same community, have you ended up teaching any kids of former students A: Oh yes, it’s very interesting. A young lady who grew up here in Liberty Lake and still lives here is a teacher now in East Valley. She was in one of my classes as a youngster, and now we’ve grown to be good friends. Last year I had her son. We laughed saying I should have retired last year because she was in one of my first classes, and her son was in one of my last. I actually had a couple kids last year whose parents were former students of mine at Greenacres. One of my son’s best friends growing up had a kid in my class a few years ago. That was fun. It’s like a big family. Q: Do you keep up with many former students A: The ones I know about are teachers. I’ve had several students who’ve become teachers. I think I’ve made lifelong friends in the teaching profession — whether they’re former students, teachers, administrators or even parents. Q: Do you have any advice for anyone considering teaching as a profession profiles/community CVSD bids farewell to retirees The Central Valley School District announced the certificated and classified staff retiring at the end of this school year. The retirees are shown below with the number of years worked in CV schools and their most recently held position. Certificated retirees Peggy Anderson, 5, South Pines Elementary, media specialist William Diedrick, 2.5, University High School, teacher and coach (retired January 2012) Karla Freeman, 36, Liberty Lake Elementary, teacher Daryl Hart, 8, University High School, principal Harold "Sonny" John, 25, Horizon Middle School, teacher Lyle Krislock, 29, Summit School/ SVLA - principal Janice McDonald, 24, Opportunity Elementary, teacher Michael Palmer, 31, University High School, teacher Susan Peavey, 7, Summit School, teacher Francine Peirone, 32, Horizon Middle School, teacher Gary Rasmussen, 35, Evergreen Middle School, teacher and coach Dr. Roberta Rice, 26, Central Valley High School, teacher and debate team advisor Neva Ringwald, 10, Learning and Teaching Center, human resources director A: My son is a teacher and a coach at Central Valley High School. His wife teaches at Greenacres Elementary. We laugh because she’s in one of the rooms I used to be in. It’s a very rewarding profession any way you look at it. You become a teacher because you love it. It’s a passion. I love what I do. My mom was a teacher, and it’s just what I always wanted to do. Teachers are flexible. No two days are the same. You just make it work. It’s never a dull moment. When you walk in that door, you never know what’s going to happen. You could have a child whose cat was run over by a car and that’s something you need to deal with, or you could have kid bouncing off the wall because their grandparents are in town. Q: Do you have any big plans for retirement A: Next fall will be very different. I still haven’t gotten into that mindset yet. I don’t have any big plans for this summer. I’d like to travel a little bit. We have friends who Kathryn Schab, 32, Horizon Middle School, teacher Heidi Stokke-French, 27, Bowdish Middle School, teacher Kathleen Steblaj, 35, University High School, counselor Classified retirees Wesley Beck, 9, Learning and Teaching Center, bus driver Donald Brock, 13, University High School, educational assistant Carla Darrah, 32, Ponderosa Elementary, paraeducator Gregory DeHamer, Sr., 18, Central Valley High School, custodian Pamela Forin, 17, Learning and Teaching Center, transportation assistant Catherine Greiner, 12, Early Learning Center, ECEAP family service coordinator Richard Grove, 24, Early Learning Center, head custodian Annitta Hackett, 28, Learning and Teaching Center, bus driver Barbara Hankel, 8, Learning and Teaching Center, bus driver Phyllis Morris, 43, Central Valley High School, head cook Fred Potter, 8, Learning and Teaching Center, grounds maintenance Patrick Thiel, 22, University High School, custodian Meredith (Merry) Young, 3, Ponderosa Elementary, supervisory assistant spend the winter in Arizona that want us to visit. My husband keeps telling me I can do anything I want — I can even sleep in. He laughs because he knows I wake up at 6 a.m. even on the weekends. Maybe I can learn to sleep until 7 a.m. I’m going to be teaching somehow, doing something. One of my granddaughters will be in third grade next year, and I’d like to get involved volunteering in her class. I’m going to read. I’m looking forward to being able to read during the school year. During the summers I go to the library once a week and spend time reading every day. Now I’ll be able to do that more. I have a lot of things on my bucket list. I have some projects at home I want to do, and my husband and I want to go on a cruise. I love what I do and saying goodbye will definitely be bittersweet. I don’t have a whole lot of plans, but I have grandchildren.
The Splash June 14, 2012 • 15 Join the fight to find a cure for a disease that will be diagnosed in approximately 35,360 men, women and youngsters in Washington this year. Contact your friends, family members, coworkers or classmates and form a team to participate in this year’s 15-hour American Cancer Society Relay For Life of Liberty Lake. Liberty Lake reLay For LiFe 2012 Meadowwood Technology Campus 6:00 p.m. Friday, July 20th to 9:00 a.m. Saturday, July 21st tHe oFFiCiaL SPoNSor oF birtHDayS. www.relayforlife.org/libertylakewa To form a team contact Deb Long at 509-255-9488 or deb.long62@gmail.com For other questions contact Jennifer Kronvall at 509-242-8303 or jennifer.kronvall@cancer.org
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