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Longtime Pre-School Teacher Retires“Kids say the darndest things.”Nobodv-knows thatthan Jovce Ude of Fairburv.Ude will be retiring from thePreschool Learning Center after 26 years of service.I really enjoy the children.I Jde said. This will be hard. Ireally hate to leave, but I owe it to mvself and mv family. If a- Aa • lt;' t ~~ * ItIP .... 'IV • v**- i ,«B»rvr 1person is able to retire, they should, and go spend lime together.Ude’s husband. Roger, retired as postmaster on Jan. 1 of this vear.” » A * »“1 want to go to the Black Hills. Branson, and also to New York and Colorado, to visit my sisters. Ude said. “So, I do have mixed emotions about retiring: I will miss the kids, butmy husband and 1 can go visitplaces where we didn't have thetime to before. Besides, I canalways substitute.■w-Even though Ude claims that the children have helped keep her young, a certain rea.izationhas set in.Some of the children I hadin the beginning of mv careerare now sending their children to school. Ude said. This really kinds of dates me somewhat; it’s time to go.Ude's granddaughter, Shay Stall, w ill be starting preschool next vear. which is another reason she has decided to hang itup.I taught Holly (Ude’syoungest daughter) when she was little, and that was toughenough. Udeciaimed. I wantto remain just ‘grandmother’ to Shav. that’s more fun than a‘teacher grandma.’ I think thatwould be a lot of pressure.” Ude has worked with fourteachers over the 26 years.teaching children to zip, lie, button and how to recite theirphone number and address.“I taught with Shari Hinman lor 14 years, Jodi Williams foreight years, Karen Horky for alw ays believe.one year and now have spent three yea-rs with TammySchmidt.”One of the biggest challengesUde faced over the 26-vear spanw as moving the pre-school from the old Presbyterian Church atSixth and H streets to the newPresbyterian Church located at231 OH St. • -This is really nice up here,” Ude said, in reference to therooms which are rented tohouse the preschool. “It is a really nice building with a lot* mSrof w indow s. Years ago the preschoolclasses were held in the afternoon, now they are in the mornings.The kids seemed to be more tired in the afternoons and harder to motivate, so we changed it and it has been better for the students,” Ude said. “It also works otsrt easier for theparents as far as dropping children off.”Over the years. Ude has attended several graduations.It has been so much fun following the kids as they grow older. I read their names in thepaper and go watch them play ball. Ude said. I rememberone little boy who was sick quite often when he was young, but he turned into such a good athlete in high school. I just lovewatching them grow up. Graduation this vear for thelearning center w ill be on May 13. The last day of school is scheduled for the 16th.“We have a picnic where we have the.kids all to ourselves,” Ude said. “We need that timeto get in all of our hugs, kisses and crying. The kids get to ride back to the center on a schoolbus. This is such a good experience for them, and it especially helps the country kids.” Ude has dealt with severalparents over the 26 years and there is one saying she doesn’tSome of them will tell methat this is their last child to gothrough the program. But sometimes it doesn't end upbeing their last...another one turns up. So. when they tell me that. I tell them, ‘I have heardthose words before. The Udes have three daughters. Crystal Stall, who is The secretary at the GraceLutheran Church, and her husband. Allen, of Fairbury; Rita, w ho works for Tom Osborne’soffice in Washington, D C.; and Holly Tracy, who graduated from UNL w ith a teaching degree, and her husband,Mike, of Lincoln.The Preschool Learning Center graduation is scheduled for May 13 at 7 p.m. •Following graduation we will be having a reception for past graduates, parents of graduates, or anyone whowould like to wish Joyce well,” Lana Likens, board member,said. “Everyone is welcome toattend.CandidateContinued From Page 1Acan use as a community, but•*they take some work. It is a•»*very useful tool.On the issue of state aid forschools and equal education for students across the state, the candidates answered:“We have to recognize the difference in demographics in the rural and urban areas.meaning more state aid to us so we don't have to rely soheavily on property taxes and levy overrides,” Combs said.“We have a responsibility to provide an education for all children in the state of Nebraska. If we are to do that, wehave to have the funding and there has to be a difference in• t r
Newspaper Details
Fairbury Journal News
Fairbury, Nebraska, US
Fri, May 10, 2002
Page 16
Full Page
Clipped by
Fairbury P.
NE, USA 16 Jan 2023
Other Publications Near Fairbury, Nebraska
Jefferson County Journal
The Fairbury News and The Fairbury Gazette
The Fairbury Daily News
The Fairbury Journal
Fairbury Journal News
