From dressing as the Cat in the Hat to having fun with little ones, Sharon Hale is ready to turn over a new leaf and step into the quiet world of retirement.
Sharon Hale started volunteering as a librarian aide at Redoubt Elementary School in 1991 when her youngest child started kindergarten there.
“I started as a volunteer, and then I volunteered and volunteered, and finally, Ken Meacham, who was a principal at the time, just said, ‘Sharon, do you want a job?” explained Hale during an interview with Merril Sikorksi. We might as well pay you to be here; you’re here all the time anyway.”
While teaching, she made many fond memories, along with many friends. But after all these years of being with the district, it wasn’t until three years ago that she decided that retirement was on the horizon.
However, making this decision was emotional. Hale says that she will definitely miss some things.
“And certainly, there is nothing better on a bad day than a kindergartner hug, except maybe a puppy. But you know, being with these kids all day and reading to them and having conversations with them as they get older, you certainly can’t have the same conversations with a kindergartener that you have had with a 6th grader. And talking about books and ideas and all of it, just spending time with these kids everyday makes my day,” said Hale.
Hale received the Golden Apple Award from the Kenai Peninsula School District in 2020.
She and her husband, Gary, say they don’t know what’s in store for them, but the spur-of-the-moment couple will figure it out together.
Hale says that she plans to travel to visit her kids, spend a lot of time this summer with the Oilers Baseball, and continue to teach quilting lessons at Barely Threaded Quilting.
