Dee Linn has been teased by her friends that she is finally going to graduate out of the second grade after 27 years. Linn is going to miss the school and the people she has worked with upon her retirement."I'm not going to dwell on the things I'm going to miss," she said. "I'm going to plan my future one day at a time and look forward to spending more time with my grandchildren."
"You become attached to the people and know the routine automatically," Linn said.
Linn helps second graders with make- up work and works with students who need a little extra help in the classroom. Some she can help in the classroom while others she takes to another room where they can concentrate better. "Some of the students need one-on-one help. The extra guidance keeps them on the right track," Linn added. During the school day she works with about 30 different students.
She also helps teachers by correcting tests, reading to the students, conducting show and tell, and goes through the Weekly Readers with the students. She also supervises on the playground and in the lunchroom.
Linn has seen many changes at the elementary school in her 27 years as an aide. The new building was a welcome addition. "The years come and go and a person takes everything that happens in stride," she said. The addition of computers in the classroom is the biggest change, Linn added. She, along with the students, has had to learn how to use computers.
According to Linn, "If I made any difference in the lives of the students, helped in any way, I get satisfaction from knowing I made a difference."
"Working with the students has been a very rewarding career for me," she added. "I have always loved school and working with books."
Linn said she has no special plans for retirement, except to spend more time with her grandchildren. She has four grandchildren and a fifth is on the way.
Linn also likes to read and plans to catch up on work at home.