On Wednesday evening, Great Falls Public Schools (GFPS) honored both longtime and retiring employees with a reception at Paris Gibson Education Center.
Employees recognized have either been with GFPS 25, 30, 35 or more years or are retiring at the end of this school year.
Two teachers retiring are Terry Dahl and Rhonda Moore, both ending their teaching careers at C.M. Russell High School.
Terry Dahl, math teacher and department chair, has been at C.M.R. her entire career, 36 years to be exact.
She describes teaching math to high school students as challenging, but she has spent her years trying to get kids to like math the way she does and try to make it a little more fun.
Terry said, “I really love working with the kids, really a lot. I did not think I would teach 36 years. I’ve told people when I had about 20 years I couldn’t wait for retirement, and now it’s 36 years, and I’m not really looking forward to it.”
She added she has loved all the traditions at C.M.R. and that retiring is bittersweet.
She will spend her retirement enjoying the great outdoors by working on her farm and traveling.
“I’m going to be outside a lot more,” Terry said. “That’s the only bad part about teaching, you have to be indoors all day long!”
C.M.R. Spanish teacher Rhonda Moore has taught at three different schools during her 29-year career, but she is ending at her alma mater, C.M.R.
Rhonda said, “I’m a Rustler through and through!”
Rhonda first became interested in foreign language when she was a foreign exchange student in Argentina.
Ever since, she has enjoyed teaching others and sharing her love for the Spanish language.
Rhonda said what has kept her going all these years has been her students.
She said, “It’s been fun to come back and share with kids, Spanish, but honestly it’s the interactions and the relationships with kids that I love, and that’s what I’m going to miss the most.”
Although her students want her to come back and substitute teach after she retires, she’s not sure that’s what is in store for her. Rhonda is excited to travel in the coming years.
