Fifteen Poway Unified elementary school teachers retire

Fifteen elementary teachers closed the book on their careers when they decided to retire from Poway Unified School District.

Those who have taught in the district for 25 or more years were invited to share their thoughts on this career milestone. Two accepted the offer. All other retirees whose names were released by the district have been mentioned as well.

Retiring teachers at the middle school level were recognized in the June 4 issue and high school teachers in the June 11 issue. The middle school article can be read here and high school here.

• James Francois is retiring after 38 years with PUSD, with the past 21 at Chaparral Elementary where most recently he taught fifth grade. He previously taught for three years at Pomerado Elementary, two years on Palomar Mountain for sixth grade outdoor education camp and 12 years at Los Penasquitos Elementary. He was also a student council adviser at Chaparral and Los Penasquitos, and at Los Pen he was also a safety patrol adviser.

Francois earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees plus his teaching credential at San Diego State University.

“I knew I wanted to become a teacher when I was a student in sixth grade in San Diego,” Francois said. “My sixth grade teacher made such a strong, positive impression on me that I never wanted to do anything else except teach.”

He added, “The teaching profession has been everything I expected. I’ve enjoyed it for my entire career.”

Francois said teaching has changed because there is “much more required curriculum to cover. There isn’t time to do other fun, supplemental activities that enhance the material being covered.”

As for a special memory, he recalled how several years ago one of his favorite fifth grade students from his first year at Chaparral asked him to be her master teacher during her student teaching. “We opened the fifth grade year teaching together,” he said. “I felt so honored that she remembered me and thought enough of me to be her master teacher.”

Francois said his retirement plans include working part-time on the Star of India as part of the crew on the overnight and daytime Voyage of Hope trips with fifth graders. “I took my class on those trips for 16 years as a teacher, and now I will be working as part of the crew, aarrrrrr!”

• Karen O’Connor is retiring after 28 years with PUSD, with the past 14 at Adobe Bluffs Elementary where most recently she taught third grade. Her first 14 years were at Sunset Hills Elementary and over her career she has taught second, third and fourth grades. She was a GATE coordinator for 18 years, student council adviser for two years, on the District Writing Committee for more than 20 years, a Poway Federation of Teachers Union Rep for 26 years and on the Professional Learning Advisory Board for eight years.

She also served on the CDE Professional Development Committee (2001-02), California Teacher Credentialing Commission, Committee on Accreditation (2002-08), California Teachers of the Year Foundation (2002 to present, including its vice chairwoman and current chairwoman) and a consultant at the California Department of Education since 2001.

O’Connor’s special awards have included Sunset Hills Teacher of the Year in 1990 and 1999, receiving the PTA Honorary Service Award at Sunset Hills in 1991, Poway Teacher of the Year and San Diego County (both in 1999) and a California Teacher of the Year in 2000.

She graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in English after attending Cal Poly and San Diego State University, earned her multiple and single subject teaching credentials from the University of San Diego, and at Chapman University earned her master’s degree (with honors) in curriculum and education, with an emphasis in gifted education.

“I have always loved working with children, so after several years of staying home with my own, I went back to school and earned my multi-subject credential,” O’Connor said. “It may sound trite, but I’ve always wanted to make a difference and working with children has always been immensely satisfying for me.”

O’Connor said teaching has been her passion in life and what she loves most after her family. “Working with young children every day and getting to know them as individuals with very diverse strengths and needs has been such a rewarding challenge,” she said.

As for changes to the profession, she said in the ‘80s and ‘90s there was much more emphasis on teaching the whole child and the arts were strong components of curriculum. Now the emphasis has moved to one shot testing. “I feel that teachers are not able to differentiate their instruction to the special needs of each (of) their students as easily. The curriculum is not as well rounded, and doesn’t offer many opportunities for those gifted in areas such as art, music or drama to shine.”

O’Connor said she has many special career memories, adding, “my most memorable class was one I had at Sunset Hills when I was able to take them with me from third to fourth grade.” She also mentioned a special quilt made for her during her first year of teaching, and how the students made another for her 14 years later.

Since her four grandchildren are Adobe Bluffs students, O’Connor said in retirement she plans to volunteer in their classrooms and teach drama on a part-time basis. She will also travel “and do a little sleeping in, as well.”

Other retiring elementary school teachers are:

• Mary McManus Johnson has been with PUSD for 39 years, most recently as a first grade teacher at Sunset Hills Elementary.

• Deborah Allbritain has been with PUSD for 36 years, most recently as a speech pathologist at Turtleback Elementary.

• Faye Wilkerson has been with PUSD for 34 years, most recently as a kindergarten teacher at Deer Canyon Elementary.

• Judith Mallory has been with PUSD for 31 years, most recently teaching third grade at Turtleback Elementary.

• Debra Winters has been with PUSD for 30 years, most recently teaching fifth grade at Park Village Elementary.

• Lee Moeser has been with PUSD for 27 years, most recently as a fourth grade teacher at Chaparral Elementary.

• Marisol Morales has been with PUSD for 26 years, most recently as a second grade teacher at Park Village Elementary.

• Valerie Belong has been with PUSD for 22 years, most recently teaching first grade at Adobe Bluffs Elementary.

• Bonnie Thomason has been with PUSD for 22 years, most recently teaching special education/speech at Deer Canyon Elementary.

• David Thompson has been with PUSD for 22 years, most recently as a resource/special education teacher at Adobe Bluffs Elementary.

• Kay Dirks has been with PUSD for 18 years, most recently as a second grade teacher at Midland Elementary.

• Rebecca Steller has been with PUSD for 15 years, most recently teaching fifth grade at Stone Ranch Elementary.

• Marie Duffy has been with PUSD for 10 years, most recently as a first grade teacher at Turtleback Elementary.