Retiring from GFPS at CMR, Christine Sundly will begin work as an MFPE field consultant on June 15. 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.
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.
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