After 21 successful years in the field of education, Pat Richardson, assistant principal at Oxford High School, has decided it’s time to do some travelling.
Richardson, along with many other district employees, will be retiring in June. And like many others, she has strived to leave a lasting impression on her fellow colleagues.
Although she didn’t originally plan on a lengthy career in the field of education, Richardson knew it was only a matter of time due to her love of people, children in particular.
Richardson, like many people, said she sort of stumbled into her current occupation.
After graduating from Royal Oak Kimball High School, she had what she calls an ‘unsuccessful experience? at the University of Michigan.
‘I was one of those kids that really wasn’t ready for college at 18,? she said.
One husband and four sons later, Richardson decided to take some classes and become an accountant. During the process of training new employees for tax season, she developed an interest in becoming a teacher, so at the age of 38, Richardson decided to go back to school. She did her undergraduate studies at Oakland University and her graduate studies at Wayne State University.
Her decision paid off. Richardson landed a job at Pontiac Northern High School as the assistant athletic director and taught math. Eight years later, she became the assistant principal at Berkley High School, which then led to her position at OHS in 1999.
Richardson said all of her years working with students and families have been motivated by her strong willingness to help them deal with the good and bad times life throws at us.
‘I like problem solving,? she said. ‘It’s a job of problem solving.?
Although Richardson and her husband Jerry will be spending her retirement travelling to their cottage in Duwagiac, Michigan and visiting family in Alabama and California, she’s also planning on working for Habitat for Humanity. Habitat for Humanity will be building 65 new homes in the Benton Harbor area and Richardson said she and her husband will lend a hand.
Richardson’s sister, brother-in-law, and cousin are all retiring to Duwagiac, so she hopes to spend more time with them as well.
‘I want to take a photography class ? learn Spanish, who knows?? she said with a laugh.
Richardson said she’ll miss her colleagues and students at OHS. She’s always loved watching the ninth-graders move up in the school. That’s what she’ll miss most.
‘I’m going to miss the daily interaction,? she said.
Richardson said that although it is a very exciting time to work in education, there are still huge challenges. She hopes those wishing to enter this field know and understand that.
‘We live in such an uncertain world and life has changed dramatically for children over the past couple of decades,? she said.
Richardson hopes her six years at OHS have left a positive mark. ‘I hope I’ve impacted their life as greatly as they’ve impacted mine,? she said.
She also hopes her colleagues will remember to always put the kids first.