Niwot Elementary 2023 retiring teachers

Three beloved teachers are retiring from Niwot Elementary School this year - Julie Nelson-Breyer, Lori Charbonnaeu, and Jessica Easley.

Breyer has taught for twenty-five years and Charbonneau for seventeen. Both of them have spent their entire teaching careers at Niwot Elementary. Easley has taught for twenty-eight years, fifteen of which have been at Niwot.

"Teachers who come to Niwot, stay at Niwot," Breyer said. Between them, they have a combined fifty-seven-year tenure at Niwot Elementary, working together for the past 15 years..

"Helping students find joy in learning [has been the most rewarding part [of teaching]," Breyer said, "Learning should be fun and engaging. I hope that I have instilled a curiosity and a desire to continue to learn in every part of their lives."

Easley said, "I love that moment when a student has their 'AHA'. It might be a game, it might be a [reading or math] assignment, it might be a social moment." Easley also emphasized the importance of giving kids "wait time" where the students can just think without being interrupted by anyone.

Charbonneau feels the most rewarding part of teaching has been "watching students' confidence grow as they transition into taking on more responsibility for their work."

Plans for retirement amongst all three include more time spent outdoors being active in hiking, camping, cycling, and golf. That, and of course, volunteering.

"I need to give back to our wonderful community in many ways," said Easley "Kids, dogs, and horses. I think I can find the time to do it all.".

Breyer added, "It has been amazing working in the Niwot community where I also live. It gives me the opportunity to see some of my former students grow into young adults."

For any first-year, or early career teachers, all three teachers had some advice to share as well that they would have found helpful when starting their careers:

• "Remember your passion and that you make a difference every day. Those differences may be small, but they hold great value to the students that you teach;"

• "Be patient. Be organized by planning everything in advance. Be joyful. Smile at your students. You might be their extra parent, after all;"

• "You can never go wrong if you put the students first."

Each of the retiring teachers were asked what they thought their students would remember most from their classes.

Breyer said it would be her annual Mother's Day tea and poetry reading, Easley stated that her students would think of her whole-class games that got "outrageous and funny," and Charbonneau made a special shout-out to her named classroom objects such as her stapler and pencil sharpener, called "Mr. Cachunk" and "Ms. Sharpie."

While these are all things former students might look back on fondly, we all know their students will remember each of their support, encouragement, attention, and love they dedicated to every single person who walked through their classroom doors.