By Lindsie Hiatt, KRTV
   Great Falls educators Callie Ross and Beth Britton have each been designated as a 2020 BNSF Railway Teacher of the Year
   BNSF Railway Director of Public Affairs Maia LaSalle congratulated the two educators on their titles.“Congratulations to Ms. Beth Britton of C.M. Russell High School as well as Mrs. Callie Ross of Riverview Elementary. BNSF applauds your commitment to your classroom and your community!,” LaSalle said.
   Moments after hearing the announcement, C.M. Russell High School journalism teacher Beth Britton shared her reaction upon hearing the news. “It's just such a good feeling to know that the hard work that you put into your job is being recognized,” Britton said.
   Callie Ross, a third-grade teacher at Riverview Elementary School, said the award was nowhere on her radar. “When you’re in the lower grades...you kinda get lost in the shuffle. You know in the last couple years is when I first had kids graduate…I didn’t ever think that this would happen - not on the radar - I just wanted to go and connect with kids,” Ross said.
   While Ross was unprepared to receive the distinction, Britton explained she had applied for the BNSF award previously, with the hope she could use the $2,500 award for her students.
   “This is the second time I've applied for BNSF- knowing that the money can be used in my classroom or taking kids to the legislature to watch the reporters in action there….that’s what I really want to do with it, is get kids out and watching professional journalists,” Britton said.
   Both Britton and Ross are passionate about their profession and hope their teaching makes a difference in the lives of their students. “My life is my job. I can’t imagine not doing it,” Britton said.
   “They're not going to necessarily remember everything I taught but they’ll remember how I made them feel or that I came to their 4th grade dance recital or their flag football game. That’s what they remember,” Ross said.

For KRTV video:  blob:https://assets.scrippsdigital.com/646d7650-c1f3-4aae-aab2-66ec3f730bcf

​   Marlee Sunchild has taught for a total of 25 years. She began her career in Box Elder Public Schools where for four years she taught first grade students. In a move to the Great Falls Public School District, Marlee worked for four years with first grade students and then, for 17 years, she taught third grade students. She is proud to say, that these 21 years have all been at Longfellow Elementary School.
   A fun moment occurred one time when she and her class were lining up for a Christmas concert. She said, “We were running late, and I told my class, ‘Shake a leg and get in line quickly!’ You can picture the moment. I had several first graders actually stop and shake their legs!”
   In reflecting on what she has learned in her career, she said, “I learned the most important thing is to have is a good relationship with your teaching partner. You will need to support each other. I have become like family with mine, and it has helped us get through the toughest days we ever had.
   Marlee continues, “I also learned there are days you feel like you changed the world, and days when you can't remember where you parked your car. The only way to survive all of it, is to stay positive and remember growth comes in small steps.”         
   “I am proud for having taught at Longfellow for 21 years. There were days when I thought my heart would break, but then there were days when I felt I had made a difference in my students’ lives. I will miss the students and seeing how much they grow and change throughout the year. I will also miss all my colleagues and how we worked so closely together every day.”
   Retirement plans include working in a job very different from teaching. Also, Marlee said, “I look forward to being able to travel to watch my daughter play softball in college, wherever she may end up, and I will travel to visit my son in law school.”

   In Christine Sundly’s career, she has worked at CMR High School for 23 of her 24.4 years in education. The diversity of her course schedule began early in her career. She has taught students in grade levels 9-12 in a variety of courses:  Earth Science, Applied Science, Biology 1-2, Biology 3-4, Geology, Foundations of Science, Earth and Space Science, and Credit Recovery. She recalled, “In my very first year teaching, I taught one class of 9th grade Earth Science at Great Falls High School, one class of 8th grade Physical Science at Paris Gibson Middle School, and one class of Physical Science and two classes of 7th grade Life Science at East Middle School. I also substitute taught in the spring of 1996 where I taught various classes including Elementary Music and Environment Education.”
   One memorable moment for Christine occurred when she was reviewing with her students for a test, and they were playing BINGO. She said, “I would always bring treats in for prizes, or they could choose two points of extra credit. This time I had bought a variety bag of candy bars that had Hershey bars, Reece’s Fast Break, Reece’s Pieces and Reece’s Peanut Butter Cups. We were getting down to just a few candy bars left, and I told my class, “All right, I don’t have any Peanut Butter Cups or Fast Breaks left, but I do have Hershey bars and Reece’s PENIS.”  The class came to a complete silence. I realized what I had said and quickly repeated, ‘I mean Reece’s PIECES!’  The entire class burst out laughing and called out, ‘No you said you had Reece’s PENIS!’  Thank God I didn’t have a Reece in my classes that year, because apparently, I had his penis… For the rest of the year, I would find small bags or boxes of Reece’s Pieces on my desk, with the word ‘Pieces’ crossed out and replaced with ‘Penis’.” ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­
   Christine has learned that to be a teacher, you need a lot of patience. She said, “Students respond well if you treat them as people. I learned that teaching is a 24-hour-a-day job whether you want it to be or not. There will always be students or staff that you are thinking or worrying about when you are away from your classroom. I learned that you teach so much more than the curriculum to your students each day. They watch you and are learning from you by your actions and your responses.”
   Christine said, “I have enjoyed working for this district, not only in my classroom, but in other aspects as well. I am proud of making time to be a productive member of Great Falls Education Association. I enjoyed working on committees at CMR and feel that my time spent on those committees not only helped students, but staff as well, and I am very happy and proud that I was able to help. I will definitely miss seeing my friends and colleagues each day.”  
   Retirement will not last long for Christine as she will be starting her new job as the NC2 Field Consultant for Montana Federation of Public Employees (MFPE) on June 15.
 

 

   Joan Douglas has traveled and worked in several places and schools during her 34-year career. Beginning as a first-grade teacher at Mountain View Elementary School in Las Vegas, Nevada, she continued her journey as a pre-school and first-grade teacher to Camelot School in Castro Valley, California. Arriving in Great Falls, Joan has taught second grade, a first-second grade combination class, third grade and first grade at West Elementary for the Great Falls Public School System.
   One of Joan’s most memorable times happened a few minutes before dismissal time. She said, “I was reading a novel to my third graders. From the corner of my eye, I noticed parents standing at the door looking into the room, so I looked at the clock and we had almost 15 minutes before it was time to dismiss.  Having parents standing outside of my room seemed strange to me, but. I continued to read. All-of-a-sudden, it dawned on me that my clock had stopped. Panic set in, but from what I can remember, no one missed the bus!!!”
   During her time teaching, Joan said, “I have learned, there is always a new day!!!”
   As she reflected on her teaching experiences, she is she is most proud, “…that I taught for so many years.”  
​   Joan knows that what she will miss the most is teaching, the students and everyone with whom she has worked, and yet, retirement will allow her to spend time with family and travel.

​   Jerry Ferderer has had a diverse teaching career. He started his 24-year long career teaching at the Surprise Creek Colony for two years where he taught grades 1-8, all subjects. For the next three years his job involved teaching all subjects to grades 5-8.
   Jerry worked for 1½ years as a substitute teacher for the Great Falls Public Schools, and then he worked for 17 years as a Literacy teacher in both the Great Falls public elementary schools as well as private schools.
   In recalling a memorable moment, Jerry said, “I think one of the funniest moments of my teaching career was when I was teaching at the Surprise Creek Colony. We had gone up to the sheep barn to watch them shearing sheep. One of the student’s parents asked if I would like to try shearing a sheep. My reply was that I figured both the sheep and I would be much happier if I didn’t. “
   Jerry said, “The most important thing I learned from my teaching career is to not take things personally ─ that building relationships was key to all learning. Also, sometimes the best answer to a question is ‘I don’t know.’ I am most proud of my ability to connect with my students. My students knew that I truly cared about their success. Most importantly, I provided a place where my students felt safe.”
   Most of all, Jerry said that he will miss the interaction with his students. “The reason I will miss this is because there is nothing like seeing the look on a child’s face when he or she ‘finally gets it’.”
   In retirement, Jerry hopes to be “an ambassador of good will.” He said, “I will continue to travel to as many places as possible. I will spend time with friends and family. I will continue to go on walking trips and meet new friends.
​                                                                  Carpe Diem! “

    Karen Langbehn will retire this spring after a 26-year career teaching in Great Falls Public Schools.
   She began her career in the fall of 1994 and worked with students as a K-6 math tutor for six weeks at Whittier Elementary School. That fall, in October, Karin then moved into a teaching position as a kindergarten teacher at Longfellow Elementary. She continued at Longfellow as a Title 1 Literacy teacher for grades four through five from 1995 until 2000.
    A move to Morningside Elementary offered Karin an opportunity to teach fourth grade from 2000-2008.
   Her career journey took Karin to West Elementary, where she currently has worked as the Title 1 Literacy and Math teacher for K-6. Karin said, “I have learned that it is important to take care of yourself and to remember, no matter what the pressure, that it’s really all about kids. What makes me most proud is knowing that I made a difference for some of my students. Some of them became readers, and readers who like to read. Other students may have continued to struggle, but they knew I was in their corner.” ­­­­­­­­­­­­­
   After she retires, Karin will miss seeing her students and colleagues every day. However, she said, “I plan to spend time with family, and once COVID-19 is over I will volunteer to hold babies at the hospital and travel.”

​    Marilyn Carlson has taught for 39 years. Her career began when she started teaching third grade students. For many years, she taught different grade levels as a prekindergarten and preschool teacher.  After moving to Great Falls, Marilyn taught reading part-time in special education classrooms at Sacajawea Elementary. While there, she became the Reading Specialist.
   Her travels working for the Great Falls Public School District continued when she became the Literacy Teacher on Special Assignment out of the district office. Through the Reading First Grant, Marilyn then worked at Morningside School as a Reaching Coach. When the Reading First Grant came to an end, she was ready to go back to the classroom. She said, “I had missed having ‘my own kids.’ I went to Meadow Lark School and have taught first grade students until my retirement this year.”
   Thinking back about one of her teaching experiences, Marilyn recalled a time when she was teaching prekindergarten. She said, “I had a class of 17 little ones. I had bought a new pair of sandals that had just come out on the market, and I felt I was really in style – they were Birkenstocks!
   One day I was reading the kids a story and they were all seated on the carpet in front of me. I sat in my rocking chair and crossed my legs (so I could admire my new Birks!). I noticed the kids were sitting a little closer than usual, but one little boy was particularly close. I began reading and became totally engrossed in my story, using fun voices and expression. I vaguely noticed the same little boy had inched closer, but I assumed he was really interested in the story. I had them hooked!
   Suddenly, I felt a stabbing pain in my big toe! My avid little listener had bitten my toe! No more open-toed shoes for a while!”
    “Teaching has made my passion for learning bloom! I never tire of watching faces light up as they learn something new. Seeing children learn to read and fall in love with books is the best!
   I am very proud of each and every student who has been in my classroom. They are each individual and special in their own way. I feel so blessed to have been a part of their learning experience. I have probably learned more from them than they learned from me. I sometimes think they learned in spite of me!”
   In thinking about what she will miss the most, Marilyn said, “What will I miss the most? That is easy… definitely, it will be the hugs. I can never get enough!”
   Even so, Marilyn has set her retirement plans. She said, “I hope to enjoy good health spending time with my wonderful husband, three beautiful daughters, and my two adorable grandsons.”