FREMONT, Mich. — Our next Teacher of the Week retired after some 20 years with Fremont Public Schools. She’s now in her 31st year of teaching because she just couldn’t stay away.
Deborah Converse looked very surprised as students shouted, “Congratulations!”
Principal Nick Donkersloot said, “I was so excited. There could be no one more deserving.”
The formerly retired teacher is now with Fremont Christian School.
“I retired and I missed it so much that I came back,” said Converse.
13 ON YOUR SIDE asked, “Why would you leave retirement to come back to doing this?"
She answered, “You think that when you retire you’re going to do all those things – put pictures in photo albums, and you know, everything, and when you retire, you still don’t want to do it.”
Now with Essential Support Services, Converse gives students a little extra help with reading.
“They come in and they are just beginning to understand about letters and sounds and then they’re able to put it together and hopefully by the time they leave me they’re reading chapter books,” she said, adding that, “Reading should a joyful experience.”
“She spends so much of her own time, sometimes too much. We need to tell her to slow down a little bit,” said Donkersloot, laughing, as he explained that, “The kids are so eager to work with her. If she’s not there, we – just last week, literally, had a kindergarten kid crying because Mrs. Converse wasn’t here and she didn’t get to have time working with her.”
It was one of her students who nominated Converse for Teacher of the Week.
“When he was in my classroom, I would work with him one-on-one as much as possible. So, he and I have formed a really special bond,” said Converse.
After cheers and hugs, Converse admitted, “I had no idea that that was going on. So, I was shocked and very heartfelt, feeling very blessed that people recognized the effort that I put forth.”
She believes that, “Teaching is one of the toughest jobs you’re ever going to love.”
She also said, “It’s very easy to get discouraged and if people appreciate the work that you do, it builds you up more than people could possibly realize.”
“Recognizing the importance of our teachers and how much work they put in is so vital because it’s the foundation for our society,” said Donkersloot.
When people appreciate all your effort, it helps to make it worthwhile,” said Converse.
If you have someone you’d like to nominate as our next Teacher of the Week, just text the word “teacher” to 616-559-1310.
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