St. John’s Elementary retiree Sister Mary Georgene, center, stands with fellow fourth-grade teachers Sue May, left, and Patty Dickman at her retirement party Monday after school.

“I guess my official retirement was about six years ago,” Sister Georgene said. “But I’ve been coming in about once a week — any day they want me to — to help out Sue May and Patty Dickman, the two other fourth-grade teachers.”

When Sister Georgene started teaching 35 years ago, it took her a little while to find her niche.

“I actually started back in the 60s with first grade and did that for a year or two,” she said. “Then in the 70s, I taught second grade for a year or so. In the late 70s, I had the privilege of teaching the disastrous 7th grade. They were a handful. I could only handle that for one year. Then in 1984, I finally got it right, or that’s what I always tell people. That was when I started teaching fourth grade and I’ve stayed ever since.”