The end of a school year can be a bittersweet time for students and staff. Kids and grownups alike look forward to more free time during the summer. But people also have to say goodbye to friends they won’t see every day. Sometimes friends move on during the summer.
Every year, teachers and staff retire from the Mahomet-Seymour school district. We at the Mahomet Daily would like to congratulate these staff members on their upcoming retirement and pay tribute to their career. We sent them a list of questions so they could reflect on their time at MS. Our hope is the Mahomet-Seymour community can get to know them a bit better.
These women have played a vital role in the lives of young people and their families, from pre-kindergarten to high school. We would like to acknowledge their contribution and share their story in their own words.
Patty Rushing, Special Education Teacher, Middletown Prairie Elementary School
Advice for your successor?
Enjoy every minute of this job. You are working with a truly dedicated, compassionate and talented staff that always puts the needs of the children first.
In her own words:
How long have you worked for CUSD #3?
I have worked for CUSD # 3 for 20 years.
Where else have you worked?
I have also taught in southwest Virginia, Monticello and Champaign.
What are the events/people you want to remember?
Over the years, I have worked with many dedicated teachers, children and families. I am very grateful to have had this opportunity. Each child has touched my life and I have loved being part of their social and academic development. The teams at Middletown, from classroom teachers, teaching assistants, and all of the support staff, have always made me so proud of the way they wrap around each child and work together with families to help individual kids grow and develop. They are the best!
Are there any events you’d like to forget?
No, not really.
How have things changed over the years?
When I started teaching, we did not have IEP’s, computers, IPads, Smartboards, Xerox machines or common core!
How have they stayed the same?
Teachers, teaching assistants and support personnel work long hours, spend lots of their own money, and love the profession they have chosen.
Plans during retirement?
I want to spend time with my wonderful family and friends, enjoy traveling, and have some free time to pursue anything I want!
Janice Koelkebeck, Science Teacher, Mahomet-Seymour High School
Advice for your successor?
Stay positive, you are making a difference in the students’ lives.
In her own words:
How long have you worked for CUSD #3?
I have taught at Mahomet-Seymour high school for twenty years.
Where else have you worked?
I taught five years in Missouri and five years in Texas.
What are the events/people you want to remember?
I will remember the talented and fun people I have worked with over the years.
Are there any events you’d like to forget?
The first two years were challenging in that I had to travel between classrooms, and I was developing new curriculum for the Earth Science class.
How have things changed over the years?
Students have become less self-motivated making our jobs harder.
How have they stayed the same?
The amount of work involved to be an effective teacher has stayed the same if not increased over the years.
Plans during retirement?
I will travel some, go to more Cardinal games and Mizzou sporting events. Also, I will tackle some projects around the house.
Janet Largent, Teacher, High School Alternative Education program
Advice for your successor?
Have an open mind and an open heart. Be ready to be a teacher, counselor, listener, and ‘mom’. Besides teaching the students, learn from them, also.
In her own words:
How long have you worked for CUSD #3?
This my 23rd year working for CUSD #3 as a teacher. I worked for CUSD #3 as a teacher’s aide for 3 years, from 1986-1989, prior to going back to school and getting my special education degree.
Where else have you worked?
I was lucky to be able to be a stay at home mom from 1976 to 1986. My 3rd child was in school when I started working as a teacher’s aide. Prior to that I taught dance from 1970 to 1973, and I was a technical typist for the Math Department at U of I from 1973 to 1976.
What are the events/people you want to remember?
All of my time in the Mahomet school systems have been worth remembering. I’ve met and worked with some wonderful people who have become an important part of my life. I’ve worked with some great administrators throughout this journey.
I’ve been at Mahomet-Seymour Alternative Education Program for 16 years. Myself, Tom Shallenberger, Diane Wattles and Cindy Brumfield started with the program. Since then I’ve worked with several teacher’s aides, and when Tom took the position as principal of Fisher High School, Rob Ledin and I have been the coordinators/teachers in the program. It has been the highlight of my teaching career. The best part is when former students stop in to see me, sometimes bringing their children with them. That’s when I know I’ve made a difference in some way.
I think another event that will always stand out in my memory is the Pop tab project, which I was a part of. That was a life changing event for myself and the students. I want to thank Kevin Daugherty and Jane Fisk for including me in this.
Also, I’ve had the privilege to be a part of Relay for Life at the high school with my best friend, Cindy Brumfield. It’s been a lot of work but well worth it!
Are there any events you’d like to forget?
There are times and events everyone wants to forget, but those just make us stronger. Losing students is one event that we would all like to forget. Life goes on.
How have things changed over the years?
The one obvious thing is how our schools’ building infrastructure has changed. I saw and helped with the addition to the Junior High, watched the High School grow, and the demolishment and rebirth of a Middletown school.
Also, Kids will always be kids, but I think there are more challenges that our students have to face now more than ever.
How have they stayed the same?
Again… kids will be kids. That doesn’t really change.
Plans during retirement?
Travel! I have 1 son and his family (grandbabies!) in North Carolina and a daughter and son/daughter-in-law (no grandbabies!) in Las Vegas. I hope to go visit more often and spend more time with all of them. My husband retired a year ago and we have a bucket list of places we want to visit. We are even considering buying a fifth-wheel and spending some of our winters in warmer places.
Pam Negangard, Physical Education Teacher, Mahomet-Seymour High School
In her own words:
How long have you worked for CUSD #3?
I student taught at Mahomet-Seymour High School in the fall of 1980 under Ann Jordan. During the 81-82 school year I continued to help coach volleyball / track and substitute taught. Ann retired in November of 1982, and that is when I started teaching.
Where else have you worked?
For one semester I filled in for a PE teacher on a leave at Monticello Junior High.
What are the events/people you want to remember?
There are so many people that I have met and have been influenced by in the 35 years I have been at Mahomet. I coached for 20 years and the people and families that you meet through coaching are connections you keep forever. I still keep in touch with many of the families/students/athletes that were here when I first started. As far as events, when I student taught it was the last year we were in the old high school (which is now the junior high). Being able to teach in a new building was great. We quickly outgrew it, so the additions to the building, especially the Field House, is a Physical Education teachers dream.
Are there any events you’d like to forget?
Anytime you lose students to a tragedy a part of you goes with them.
How have things changed over the years?
When I first started teaching, our enrollment at the HS was in the 500’s! (I think) Besides the number of kids, technology has been the biggest change and that has been a good change.
How have they stayed the same?
Kids are kids. They don’t really change, you just have to change the way you teach and interact with them.
Plans during retirement?
In the fall I will be busy going to my son’s football games at St Ambrose University and working in the pumpkin patch. In the winter I hope to spend some time on the beach! Personal Training and teaching aerobic classes are also on the agenda.
Pam Aubry, Special Education Teacher, Lincoln Trail
Advice for your successor?
Enjoy the kids and write down the funny things they say and do because reading it later will make you smile.
In her own words:
How long have you worked for CUSD #3?
I have been at Lincoln Trail for 15 years as a special education teacher.
Where else have you worked?
I have worked in Dubuque, Iowa as well as Warren, Metamora, and Ottawa, IL.
What are the events/people you want to remember?
I will never forget all the kids and the great staff that I have worked with. I won’t forget the special events like the Dawg Walk. Also special to me is our Veteran’s Day assembly, and the Hands Around the World event we have here at Lincoln Trail. I loved having the student teachers to work with from the University of Illinois and helping them grow.
Are there any events you’d like to forget?
I will not miss all the paperwork that is required for special education, and also all the testing that we do now.
How have things changed over the years?
We are doing a lot more testing. Also, we are using so much more technology and working on how to use it the best way in the classrooms.
How have they stayed the same?
The kids are still kids and what they say and do still makes me laugh.
Plans during retirement?
My husband and I plan to travel. We will be going to Australia as a retirement trip. I will also be spending more time with my grandchildren. I would like to find a part-time job just to keep me out of trouble.
Sue Trujillo, Pre-Kindergarten Teacher, Middletown Prairie Elementary School
Advice for your successor?
Things I have always tried to remember: Look at each child as their own star in this big universe, they all shine in their own ways. Respect is a two-way street that takes time and patience. Smiles are the best way to start and end a day.
How long have you worked for CUSD #3?
I have worked in CUSD #3 since 1996 and on my 20th year.
Where else have you worked?
I taught in Lincoln, Nebraska for 5 years before moving to Mahomet in 1992. I have had a variety of experiences. I worked at The Early American Museum as a teacher in the interactive learning program for two years. I then enjoyed teaching at Our Lady of the Lake Preschool. In 1996 I began teaching in the Early Childhood Program.
What are the events/people you want to remember?
Throughout my 20 years I have worked with wonderful children, parents and staff. I have many great memories, and I will miss my students and coworkers. Open House was a favorite night when my former students and parents would stop by. I enjoyed seeing how much former students have grown.
The support staff and team members I have had the pleasure to work with never cease to amaze me. They are dedicated professionals who have a passion for helping children grow and learn.
Are there any events you’d like to forget?
Not really
How have things changed over the years?
Advancement in Technology
How have they stayed the same?
Two constants over the years have been: children need the opportunity and the ability to be able to communicate and interact with others and problem solve, and they also need to be able to express their thoughts and ideas.
Plans during retirement
Retirement plans include spending more time with family and especially my three grandchildren, traveling, and reading all the books I have wanted to read and not have had time for.
