9/9/2004 was the beginning of my kindergarten Title 1 Aide job. I was really scared to take the test to qualify, but actually did very well...and then it was a go! I had been volunteering in a kindergarten class before that and they decided they could use me. I needed to go through the testing and application process to make it official. My beginning wage was around $8.51 per hour and ended (with a wage freeze for a period of time) at $19.61. The money wasn't great, but it was better than nothing, and I really came to love the work, the teachers and the kids. I worked at West Elementary to begin with and the principal was Melanie Olsen. She had been Moss's kindergarten teacher years before. West Elementary had opened in 1955 at 12 North 300 West. It was closed just before Christmas vacation in 2007. Students and faculty were moved to the new Heritage Elementary School starting at the beginning of 2008. The West Elementary School building was demolished early in 2008 to make room for the new Fifth District Courthouse. Some of the old mulberry trees that were on the playground survived the demolition and are still there. I did not go to work the first year at Heritage Elementary. It was a time when my mom and Bean were both needing lots of help. Mom was moving out of her home and Bean was struggling mightily with his mental health problems. I took off a year of work. Thankfully the principal, Melanie Olsen, and the teacher, Lynne Godfrey, were both glad to hire me back and I started at working again at my prior wage. My last day will be May 21st 2026. That's 21 years with the one year off. I've seen kids I helped teach go on missions, get married and have children! It's been a joy for me to work with these littles and teachers most of the time. This last year has been the worst year actually, with one child so messed up and unable to adhere to any school standards of behavior that he was finally moved to a special school for behavior challenged students. I worked with Lynne Godfrey for most of my years, but she retired and then I worked with Hillery Hunt for the last few years. They were both amazing ladies and great and good teachers. Now I will have to start a new chapter of my life. I have felt the need to do it, even though I don't know what it is I will do yet. We had a stake conference with much encouragement for seniors to serve some kind of mission a year or so ago and I have felt that after we are released from our Single Adult calling probably in January, we should find some way to serve locally. We can't really leave Bean to go anywhere else, or afford to go anywhere else, so we will have to find out what that's going to be. So, onward to the next adventure is how I'm trying to look at it. I'm sure when August comes around I'll be feeling a little sad that I'm not going back to school. I will miss having present and past students give me a hug. I will miss the daily adventures of a school days with our tiny humans!
Left to right below - Riley, Haizlynn, Jayden, Aristelle, Beau, and Ed.
Left to right - Hazel, Indy, Sofia and Gianna.
We missed getting a picture of Noe. He didn't come back to school after our water party day. Today at Zade's graduation I heard the name of one of my early students - Porter Shelly. His mom was such great parent helper. Just loved their family. I messaged his mom and found out that he's heading on a mission to Uruguay in August! So fun to hear that they are going on to do good things with their lives.
Below - Last day in the class!
