Patch Oswego, IL --The following retirement profile was provided by Oswego 308. Leading up to the end of the school year, Patch will be posting these profiles for all retiring teachers, administration and staff in the district. Congratulations to all on your retirement!
** *Karen Baker* **
*19 Years in District 308, 23 Years in Education*
“It has been a pleasure working with Karen Baker this past school year. Her enthusiasm and sense of humor will be greatly missed by staff, students and families. We wish her the best as she begins her retirement and hope that she will return to ‘The Beach.’ Karen will always be a part of the Long Beach family.”
Principal Christine Smith
Since 1994, Karen Baker has taught third and fifth grade classes at Long Beach Elementary School. However, her first year of employment was in a much different venue—law enforcement. From 1974-75 Karen worked as the chief records clerk and radio dispatcher for the Northern Illinois University Police Department.
She worked at NIU while she attended the school to receive specialized training in elementary reading beyond the bachelor’s degree in elementary education she earned there. However, from when she left the school in 1975 until her retirement, she focused her career on working with, and for, children.
From 1975-78 Karen worked at Batavia Junior High School, one year as a substitute teacher and two-years as a reading specialist and volleyball coach. Although she took some time off to start her family, she remained involved in the lives of children.
She was a tutor for a few years while she had toddlers and then she became active with different volunteer activities that would enable her to teach as well as spend time with her young daughters. This included substitute teaching—three years of which were in District 308—as well as working with young girls through Girl Scouts as a leader, service unit director and second vice-president of the Girl Scout Council. She also served as a parent volunteer at Boulder Hill Elementary School.
Karen exchanged her volunteer work in the district for full-time employment teaching at Long Beach Elementary School in 1994. Since then she has taught at both the third- and fifth-grade levels as well as served as the school store manager, Earth Team advisor and Ozzie Reading Club coordinator.
“I will always remember the love and family atmosphere at “The Beach,” Karen said. “Co-workers have become my best life-long friends and I am always touched when former students visit or email or when they invite me to concerts, weddings and baby showers!”
With grandchildren in both Colorado and Wisconsin, Karen has quite a few trips planned during her retirement. When she is at home, Karen would like to stay connected to students by volunteering at Long Beach and working as a substitute teacher.
*Read: *All retiring members of District 308 Reported by Patch 6 hours ago.