June 28 — ‘It’s time’ to retire for many Sumner teachers and staff

Roxanne Cooke / of the Herald

As students begin a summer of freedom from school and homework, three Daffodil Valley Elementary teachers pack up their classrooms and say their goodbyes.

Unlike their students, these teachers won’t return in September. They’re retiring, along with 15 other teachers and employees in the Sumner School District.

Becky Johnson, Carol Jurgensen and Barbara Weekes contributed a combined total of 65 years to the school district. Johnson spent 28 years in Sumner, Jurgensen worked for 32 years and Weekes is retiring after five years, after having worked elsewhere before coming to the district.

Retirements are not uncommon, said Ann Cook, communications director for the Sumner School District.

“It happens to us every year,” Cook said.

While it’s sad to see long-time educators leave, it also means hiring new teachers, who bring in fresh new ideas and perspectives, Cook said.

Still, those leaving each year are not easily forgotten, she said.

“You hate to lose that seniority and experience and leadership,” Cook said.

All three of the retiring Daffodil Valley teachers share a passion for their profession and for Sumner.

Coming full circle

Johnson, a kindergarten teacher at Daffodil Valley, said she’s taught about 1,000 students during her teaching career. She even made the “full circle” this year — she taught the son of one of her former students.

“That, to me, is incredible,” she said.

Johnson began her career in 1978 in Sumner after a five-year stint in Auburn schools. She spent her last eight years at Daffodil Valley Elementary.

Sumner’s hometown atmosphere and close-knit community helped Johnson feel comfortable teaching in the area, she said.

Plus, Sumner parents have been supportive and caring, she said. Many were disappointed that Johnson wouldn’t be around to teach their younger children.

One parent who volunteered in Johnson’s classroom was inspired by her teaching and plans to return to college to become a teacher herself.

“That’s really awesome feeling,” Johnson said.

Teaching kindergarten is a challenge because it’s easy to become emotionally attached to the kids, she said.

“It’s a job you just carry with you your entire life,” she said.

Because kindergarten is typically a child’s first time in school, each student has varying skills and abilities. It’s a diverse mixture that requires a lot of energy.

“It’s such an important year of school,” she said.

In retirement, Johnson wants to pursue gardening, golf, traveling, walking and reading. She also wants to spend more time with her family.

“I can’t wait,” she said.

Johnson isn’t gone for good — she plans to sub for classes next year.

‘But mostly, it’s the people’

As one of the founding teachers of the Program for Exceptionally Academic Kids, Jurgensen switched schools a number of times to follow the program and continue teaching it to gifted students.

She and her former colleague, Marilyn Mersereau, developed the curriculum for PEAK, which is a full-time class for gifted students in the fourth, fifth and sixth grades. The two initially taught it at McAlder Elementary before it was transferred to other schools in the district.

Jurgensen began teaching elementary schools in 1969 in Maryland. After moving to the Puyallup area with her husband in 1974, she started teaching in Sumner the following year.

During her time in the Sumner School District, Jurgensen worked at McAlder Elementary, Bonney Lake Elementary, Crestwood Elementary and Daffodil Valley Elementary, where she spent her last school year.

She said she loves teaching because it keeps her busy and challenged.

“But mostly, it’s the people,” Jurgensen said. “They’re the ones who bring things alive and make things happen.”

After a total of 35 years teaching, Jurgensen feels good about retiring right now.

“It’s time,” she said.

Teaching demands a lot of time and energy, Jurgensen said. At this point in her life, she wants to spend more time with her family.

The pressures on students to achieve increased in the past few years, especially with the WASL, she said. While she thinks new standards are a good thing, the new pressures added a lot of stress to her career.

As a survivor of cancer, Jurgensen wants to stay active in her retirement by golfing, playing tennis, swimming, hiking and traveling, she said. She’s in her fifth year of treatment and her cancer is in remission.

Next year, a teacher at Crestwood will use Jurgensen’s material to teach PEAK classes.

Feeling accepted

Although speech language pathologist Weekes has worked in Sumner for only five years, she still feels connected and appreciated in the Sumner School District. She said she’s enjoyed the district’s emphasis on learning and continuing education.

“It’s a good school district to work for,” Weekes said.

Weekes worked as a speech language pathologist in California and Kelso before settling in Sumner in 2002.

In her profession, Weekes said it was common for her to not be considered a part of the regular staff. But in Sumner, she felt accepted, she said.

Speech language pathologists work with children who have speech delays, articulation problems and other issues understanding and using language.

Weekes works with all grades at the school, and worked with Bonney Lake High School students this year.

She said some of her Daffodil Valley students were emotional when they learned she was retiring. Some asked her to come back next year.

“That makes you feel appreciated,” she said.

It’s common for her to feel invisible after students improve their language problems, but she still feels good that she made a difference, Weekes said.

Now it’s time for her to retire and do different things, she said. While she enjoys her job, there’s a lot of paperwork and requirements that get in the way of the hands-on work she loves.

Weekes wants to golf, travel, quilt and volunteer at her church in her retirement years. She also plans to sub next year.

“I can’t imagine not being around children,” Weekes said.

Sharing the memories

The Sumner School Board hosted a retirement reception for all of the retirees Wednesday, June 20, before its regular board meeting. Each teacher was honored with a speech from a colleague.

The reception was one of the toughest days for Johnson, who attended with her parents.

“There were a lot of tears,” she said.

Johnson’s father, Leon Copeland, originally wanted her to make a lot of money in the business world.

“He wanted her to go into business so she’d make more money,” said Johnson’s mother, Mary Copeland. “But she never wanted to be anything but a teacher.”

Leon is proud that his daughter has been so dedicated, he said. He even shed a few tears when talking about his daughter.

“See, I told you he’d cry,” Johnson said.

Jurgensen’s friends and family also attended the reception last week.

“They’ve been very supportive of their teachers,” said Jurgensen’s husband, Gordon, of the Sumner School District.

Cathy McLeod, a friend and colleague of Jurgensen’s for 24 years, shared some of her memories of teaching with Jurgensen.

“During my first year in Sumner Carol was one of my very best friends,” McLeod said.

Johnson, Jurgensen and Weekes are just three examples of respected teachers in the district. While replacing them is a common event, it’s not an easy one.

“You certainly can’t replace them,” said Cook, the communications director for the school district. “They’re irreplaceable.”

Reach Reporter Roxanne Cooke at 253-841-2481 ext. 314 or roxanne.cooke@puyallupherald.com.