After a quarter century as a North Callaway educator, one of the district's longest standing Thunderbird is ready to leave her roost.
Assistant Superintendent Sandy Haskins will retire at the end of this year, putting an end to a 25-year career that began with teaching science at the high school and went on to make North Callaway one of the most respected rural school districts in the state.
Haskins joked that her interest in education began when she was told that teachers worked great hours.
"When I started doing some substitute teaching, I found they don't have great hours; they work their tails off," Haskins said. "But I fell in love with the whole process of education. I found my place in life."
She originally landed a job 25 years ago at North Callaway High School as a general science and biology teacher, but that school was far different than the one she serves as assistant superintendent today.
"North Callaway wasn't known as a really great school district; it had issues with academics and motivation at the school for kids," said Haskins. "When I came, almost all of the high school teachers were new, so we all kind of helped each other. I remember those years of us turning that school around."