Sue Waldron recalls as a child hanging around her mother, a second-grade teacher, while she graded schoolwork.
That experience inspired her.
“I’ve always wanted to be a teacher,” she said. And she has been — for 40 years.
Waldron, a Butterfield Elementary School teacher, was honored during a staff meeting for her longevity in teaching.
Marana district officials threw her a surprise party, though the element of surprise was threatened when she discovered her celebration cake in the staff lounge.
For her, teaching is not just a job.
Butterfield Elementary has become a home, she said. Her own children all went to Butterfield and four of her grandchildren now attend the school.
And the people there, whether they’re parents or coworkers, are her community, she said.
“They’ve become like sisters, brothers and lifelong friends,” she said.
One of those lifelong friends is Dan Post, Marana Unified School District Governing Board president, who said he has known her since her first day of teaching in Marana.
“She had that enthusiasm day one,” he said. “And she has it today.”
Many teachers burn out quickly and leave, but Waldron was certainly not among them.
In fact, she retired in 2010 but eventually returned to teaching in the district.
Waldron, who Post described as a “master,” provides something that is critical to children’s learning, he said: “She cares.”
Waldron is the second teacher in the district to receive a 40-year longevity pin. Sue Richey of Coyote Trails Elementary was recognized last year for her four decades of teaching.
The district honors longtime teachers to send a message of celebration for stability and consistency, said Doug Wilson, the district’s superintendent.
“When the schools have that kind of stability, they really make an impact on the kids’ lives,” he said.
Longtime teachers can also be role models for teachers with less experience, he added.
For now, Waldron has no immediate plans to leave teaching — she doesn’t know what she would do. “I’ll be here for at least another year,” she said. “But who knows?”
