Congratulations to Mrs. Laurie Pickering for being named Beaver School Paraprofessional of the Year.
I’ve been married to my wonderful husband, Bob, for 29 years — the big 30 is coming up in January! We have two amazing children, William (28) and Hannah (25). William is a Navy veteran and now lives in Boston, where he’ll be starting classes at the University of Massachusetts in January. Hannah graduated from UT Martin and works as a Team Lead at Ingram Content Group.
While we were stationed in Atsugi, Japan, I decided to find a job to keep busy and get out of the house. A friend told me the local elementary school was looking for a paraprofessional in Preschool Services for Children with Disabilities (PSCD). I applied — and got the job!
I was blessed to work with a wonderful teacher, Robert Starowicz, for three years. During that time, I completely fell in love with those incredible children. What began as something to fill my time turned into something much more meaningful — it became my calling. I truly believe God led me to where I was meant to be.
After Bob retired from the Navy following 28 years of service, we moved back to the States, and I found my Beaver Hornets family in 2015. It’s been a joy ever since! I’m so grateful to be part of such a loving and dedicated school community