Four long-time U-234 teachers retiring

Countless days spent assigning grades and homework will soon come to an end for four local teachers.

Debbie Lewis, a second grade teacher at Winfield Scott Elementary School; Glenda Miller, a fifth grade teacher at Eugene Ware Elementary School; Jane Williams, an orchestra teacher at Fort Scott Middle School and Fort Scott High School; and Ron Klassen, a Latin teacher at FSHS; recently announced they would be retiring after the current school year. The USD 234 Board of Education approved the teachers' early retirement requests earlier this month.

Williams, a 26-year teacher, has spent 23 of those years teaching in the USD 234 system. After graduating from the University of Kansas in 1973, she spent three years teaching orchestra in her hometown of El Dorado. She began working in USD 234 in 1987. She stayed at home with her children during the years between those teaching stints.

"Music education was always my goal in college," Williams said. "My family is musical and teaching is something I have always been comfortable doing. Obviously, because of my string background with the cello, orchestra was my first choice."

Klassen, known by students and coworkers for many years as Magister, the Latin word for "teacher," has spent a total of 36 years teaching in various locations across Kansas. Other than FSHS, Klassen also taught for one year in Pittsburg, two years in Olathe, and two years at KU.

"I teach because I had great teachers teach me and I wanted to attempt to follow in their footsteps," Klassen said. "I like teaching Latin best to mixed age groups."

Lewis has taught for 30 years in USD 234, but began her career teaching youngsters in Uniontown. She taught first graders at West Bourbon Elementary School for two years and in 1979 began teaching first grade at Winfield Scott, where she has taught first, second and third graders over the last three decades.

Lewis said she has "always loved being involved in the lives of children."

"Since teachers can be such an important influence in the lives of children, helping students to develop the mental and social skills necessary to live a happy life, a career in elementary education has been a perfect fit for me."

Miller also began her teaching career in Uniontown and has taught for 29 years in USD 234. She began her career in Fort Scott teaching sixth grade and then switched to teaching first grade at Winfield Scott. She then transferred to Eugene Ware where she has since taught fifth grade. Miller said reading and science have been topics that she has especially loved to teach over the years.

Miller said she got involved in the teaching profession because she "loves to work with kids."

"I had some very good teachers when I was in school," Miller said. "They made learning fun, and I wanted to make school fun for my students, too. I have many great memories of activities and field trips from my school years."