A big welcome to one of our newest additions to the Comet family, Mrs. Christine Rease! I enjoyed the opportunity to sit down and get to know her a bit better. She's very friendly, fun, and easy to talk to. Here's what I learned about our newest paraprofessional:
Why did you decide to become a paraprofessional?
I was a phlebotomist for nearly 30 years when I decided to retire a year and a half ago. It was nice, but I realized I had a new calling when I started teaching religious education to third graders about a year ago at my church . . . and I loved it! That’s all it was! I started casually teaching, and I knew that this was just the next thing I had to do. I didn’t want to be done contributing. I wanted something to do, and I know how desperately teachers and kids need support.
Do you have any prior connection with this school district or community?
I grew up in the Grand Rapids area, but my husband, Sam, is born and raised from Coleman, as well as all his siblings and children! Sam is a Comet alum from the class of 1970. There's actually still a trophy in the trophy case here that he earned for woodshop! I also have a son that graduated from Coleman in 2017.
What drew you to this opportunity?
I enjoyed retirement but I still felt like I had a lifetime of practical experience that I should still be using and contributing. To be truthful, I wasn’t looking for this job specifically, but when I saw it advertised I just couldn't get it out of my head.
What's something you're learning about right now?
I’m learning the importance of patience - something I’ve never had! It is so important, in this job especially. You learn so much from being patient. I’ve also been learning how wonderful it is to have technology in school! We didn’t have the Internet when I went to school, we had to use encyclopedias and the library to do our homework. It’s amazing how much technology that we have now that we actually take for granted.
What do you like to do in your free time?
I’m a student - a 4th year lay ministry student at my Catholic diocese (I'll be graduating soon!). I also still teach 3rd grade Religious Education.
A big part of my spare time is gardening! We grow a huge vegetable garden including five apple trees and ancient grapevines that still produce. We sprout our seeds in February, and we're canning and processing our harvest all the way through early November each year. It’s very rewarding in the dead of winter when you can enjoy vegetables that are almost as fresh as the day we picked them!
Sam and I travel whenever we can, especially to Georgia where we can visit our granddaughter as much as possible. We also love camping!
What adjectives would you use to describe yourself?
Compassionate, sensitive, and humorous. I think smiling and laughing are a great tonic in life.
What's your secret talent?
I make the best homemade pizza! I love making custom personal pizzas for my friends and family. My personal favorite go-to toppings are pepperoni and pineapple. I make the dough and sauce from scratch, made from as many of our homegrown veggies as possible! When you use a lot of your own ingredients, it means something special. You can just tell the difference!
