When asked what she’d like to forget about her time teaching as soon as possible, Nancy was quick to respond with a laugh and, “hours of paperwork.” In reality, though, it was tough to nail down specifics because each challenge or obstacle that we may encounter in this profession come with the territory and become blips on the radar of the larger goal of doing right by students. As for something Nancy will never forget, she touted the spirit of the staff at SRRMS as one that “always has each others’ backs.” To further iterate that the staff at SRRMS are an incredible bunch, On a more targeted level, Nancy will never forget the many trips to Deep Portage that she took with 6th graders. Getting an opportunity to see students flourish in a different environment is something that will always stick with her. Perhaps it’s this memory that influenced her advice for new teachers.

Nancy’s main advice for new teachers or those entering the field is to, “never give up on students.” I couldn’t help but think of the late Rita Pierson and her TED Talk, “Every kid needs a champion,” as Nancy advised new teachers to focus on the positives and the growth that students go through during a school year and beyond. There’s a lot to celebrate with students and they need our “smile, laughter, and expertise,” as we work to recognize all of their accomplishments, great and small.

When Nancy wraps up this school year and her 28-year teaching career, she’s looking forward to figuring out what’s next. She has some ideas in mind like traveling and golfing with her husband and friends, spending time with her six grandchildren and three children, and trying new things that she hasn’t been able to make time for, but ultimately, she’s looking forward to the flexibility to make those plans later. It's only fitting that flexibility and adaptability would be part of Nancy's future plans.