Congratulations to retiring Greene County Community School District staff
This is the third and last segment in a series of questions and answers with the 11 staff retiring from the Greene County Community School District (GCCSD). ~ by Lora Koch, The Scranton Journal
MICHELE HARDIN: Elementary Title I reading teacher
Michele Hardin began her 33-year career with the district before she even graduated from Iowa State University. “I student taught in Jefferson in the spring of 1982 under Jan Strawn and Pat Richards. I began working for Jefferson School District upon graduation from ISU. I started out as an associate in the middle school. When we started the sharing agreement with Scranton, I went to the Scranton elementary where I taught Title I reading. I continued in the Scranton building until we moved to the elementary to Jefferson.
“I have worked with Title I reading ever since that time. I have also taught Title I math while in the Scranton building. I have also been the technology lead teacher for the elementary building since that position began several years ago.”
Hardin’s husband Lynn is a grain and pork farmer near Jefferson. They have three children: two grown sons and a daughter who is a student at Des Moines Area Community College.
What did you like best about your most recent position? Working with elementary kids is always an adventure. You never know what you might hear. Their innocence and eagerness to learn is refreshing. Watching everything come together for struggling students and helping them understand what they are reading is a great feeling. Seeing students learn to “love to read” is very rewarding for any teacher.
What will you miss the most about your job once you are retired? Along with the students I will miss the staff. Working in the elementary requires us to work closely with each other. We become a family and I will miss seeing them every day. I value their friendships.
What are your plans and dreams for your retirement years? I have a wedding in September which will keep me busy over the summer. Beyond that I will spend time with my family. My parents and family live in the Decorah area so I plan to travel north much more often than I am currently able to. I know there will be opportunities when I am ready to start a new chapter in my life.
JUDY TURNER: High school library associate
Judy Turner is retiring after 14 years as the high school library associate. Previously, she worked for the county in a government position with Rural Development.
A resident of Jefferson, Turner and her husband Larry, have three grown daughters.
What did you like best about your most recent position? Being around books and able to order books hoping they will enjoy what I order, and getting to know all the kids at school.
What will you miss the most about your job once you are retired? Will really miss the kids and being around them, will miss my co-workers, such a good group of people to work with.
What is a favorite school memory to share? I spoke for a graduating class and was scared to death (not a public speaker) but very happy I did so. Also, I had one student give me a bouquet of flowers during prom while I was announcing and surprised me.
What are your plans and dreams for your retirement years? Reading many books and visiting my grandchildren. Sleeping in!
Anything else you would like to add? Working at Greene County High School library has been a wonderful job and it is true that if you work doing what you love, it is not just a job. I will always remember my time here and the kids who are here now and those who have graduated, so much fun to keep in touch with them.
CATHY SPRINGER: Academic Achievement Center paraeducator
Cathy Springer has been a paraeducator with the district for 19 years, most recently in the Academic Achievement Center (alternative high school) for 11 years and previously at the elementary school for eight years.
“My very first job was working for the Greene County Medical Center at the age of 16 as a dietary aide in the kitchen. I also worked as a nurse’s aide on first floor hospital and in inventory control after that.”
Springer and her husband Jim live in Jefferson and have three children and six grandchildren.
What did you like best about your most recent position? We are a one-room school house at the Academic Achievement Center with the students all working on different subjects every day. We become one big family by the end of the year and we get to know our students very well! I like the fact that my attitude every day often affects the way the day goes for our students and I try to be open and honest with them without being too pushy. I find that everyone has a story to tell, and getting to know the whole story is something that has been very satisfactory to me.
What will you miss the most about your job once you are retired? I will miss interacting with the students and I will miss my co-workers also.
What is a favorite school memory to share? I have many memories of my days with the school system. The elementary school children and their funny stories, hugs and smiles were hard to leave behind as I started working with the high school age students, but I love to see former high school students out in the public after they have graduated. They often they have a story to share with me that sometimes involves how they appreciated the fact that I helped get them through a time in their life that was challenging in one way or another.
What are your plans and dreams for your retirement years? My husband calls me “the flower lady” as I love to dig in the dirt! I also have family and grandchildren that I will be spending more time with.
Anything else you would like to add? I would like to thank the Greene County Schools for making this job a positive one for me and I would also like to thank the students for making this position an enjoyable one through my years of employment!
