April 11, 2016 at 4:16 p.m.
Never-ending summer vacation: Veteran school secretary to retire after 40 years on the job
Never-ending summer vacation: Veteran school secretary to retire after 40 years on the job
By Kayla Thomason-
Sue Edwards has been a secretary with the School District of Rhinelander for nearly 42 years, all but one in the office at James Williams Middle School, and is finishing her career this spring at Central Intermediate School.
Edwards was born and raised in Rhinelander, attended schools in the district, and was not long graduated from Rhinelander High School when fate brought her back inside school walls.
Edwards was 19 years old and working in the special needs section of Friendly Village in 1974 when her mother helped set her life in a new direction.
As she explains it, her mother attended a parent-teacher conferences at the junior high school (the predecessor to James Williams Middle School which hadn't been built yet) and learned from the principal that the school would soon be in need of a secretary as theirs was moving out of the area.
Edwards called the principal the next day and got the job on the spot. She started in December and the students moved to the new James Williams Middle School in February 1975.
For Edwards, the move was most welcome.
"I would sit at the desk (in the old school) and type and the ceiling tiles would be falling on me," she remembers. "The building was in that rough of shape."
It was trial by fire for the young Edwards as she was the only secretary for the junior high at the time and there were almost 1,000 students in the building.
She said it was very challenging to transition from being a student in the district to being an employee but noted that her young age likely helped her connect and communicate with the students
Over the last 40 years, Edwards has worked with seven different principals and watched countless children walk through the hallways as they advanced through the grades, including many descendents of her former classmates.
Just thinking about it makes her smile.
"I've had friends that I graduated with, their siblings, I've gone all the way through to people that I graduated with that have great-grandchildren now that I'm seeing in school," she said. "It's been very interesting that way, you think 'Oh, my, I feel like I'm 80 years old when the great-grandchildren start coming in, but it's neat, it's neat.'"
"Watching the kids grow up and what they can become is such a neat thing," she added fondly.
Not surprisingly, Edwards has too many warm memories of her days with the school district to name, but she said she particularly enjoyed chaperoning the school dances, parties, and participating in the staff vs. students basketball games.
A lot has changed since Edwards was last a student in the district in the '70s. She marvels at the impact of the advancements in technology, in particular.
"I think the thing I like the best (about watching the district change) is the great strides they've made in technology for the students whereas we didn't have that when I was in high school," she said. "(There are) just so many more opportunities for the kids which is what it's all about."
Along with technological advancements, Edwards cited the increased opportunities in sports and extracurricular activities for the female students as one of the changes she finds most gratifying.
"We really didn't have many sports," she said of her years as a student. "I tried to get tennis going when I was a junior and it started the year after I graduated."
Edwards said she thinks the growth in athletics is a good thing as it helps the students have a more well-rounded experience in school and teaches them responsibility.
"It is very nice to see that, and we have a very good school district here and the kids have a lot of good opportunities and it's great that our city and our voters passed the referendums to support our kids because they are our future," she said.
After having forged some wonderful memories and friendships, Edwards said she will miss the staff and students when her last day of school comes in a few weeks.
"The district has wonderful paraprofessional staff plus a professional staff and administrators and I'll miss seeing them every day and talking to them, but I'm sure I'll run into them since I live here anyway," she said.
Despite the sadness of leaving the school, Edwards is looking forward to retirement. Her husband has been retired for three years and she is looking forward to spending more time with him and for them to able to come and go as they please.
Still, as the coming of fall has always meant a return to work, Edwards said it's likely retirement will not feel real until September returns.
"It hasn't sunk in yet and I don't think it probably will sink in until school starts in the fall again," she said.
During her perpetual summer vacation, she is looking forward to golfing, traveling, boating, relaxing and not having to be somewhere five days a week. She has also thought about volunteering in the school or with the food pantry, she said.
"I would like to thank the district for hiring me back in 1974, I appreciate that," she said. "I will certainly miss everyone. We've got a good group of employees in this district and we are very fortunate for that."
Kayla Breese may be reached at kayla@ rivernewsonline.com.
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