Teacher of the Year 2013

 

We celebrated Guidance Counselor Betsy McCall, our 2013 Chets Creek Teacher of the Year today.  No school honors a teacher the way that Chets does!  We walked into the Media Center this morning to a lavish breakfast and to the amazing life-sized painting above by our Art teacher, Jen Snead.  It celebrates Betsy's love for God, music, the beach and peace..  Each grade level did a skit - a little irreverent (think roasting) that ended with kindergarten's moving tribute.

Betsy is our friend who never outgrew being a hippie,  who has had flashy pink  and orange streaks in her hair since she beat cancer!  Betsy loves to travel -we all live vicariously through her travels on airplanes, hand gliders, blimps - next up is a hot air balloon.  Bets has visited all 50 states. She even took her mom to Italy this past summer.  Betsy lives life in the moment.  She is a reminder to us all of how to love the life you're in!

More than that Betsy is a listener.  She has such a small ego that it seems nonexistent.  She is the steady, quiet truth that has always been at our Leadership table.  It is no wonder that so many of us trust her with our secrets and fears and turn to her in times of great pain and times of great joy.  We have closed her door and cried buckets of tears over our children and their circumstances as she has listened and shared our pain. 

Betsy will retire at the end of this year.  She has always been at Chets Creek - since the day it first opened its door.  I cannot imagine days at the Creek without her.  We have all grown to count on her and trust her and depend on her strength.  She will leave a gaping hole in our armour.  But we will continue to travel with her and the she will leave behind a legacy of caring and love...