Saxman to retire

Ingrid Saxman doesn’t just consider East Elementary School a second home, she feels accountable for its future.
The last remaining teacher who was involved in the building and opening of the school 40 years ago, Saxman is set to retire after 45 years in education.
But that won’t stop her from feeling protective of her home away from home. She can still remember back to the night before the school opened four decades ago and her worry of what it would become.
Fearing she would be the only teacher to arrive at East’s opening day, she dreamt of taking on everyone’s role to keep the school open.
“I woke up, and I was exhausted,” said Saxman. “Then I came to school, and thank goodness I was not the only teacher that came. … I still feel responsible to make sure East is the best it can be, and I’m so proud I’m going out on four-star school status.”
That status is in addition to the school’s nomination by the state for a National Blue Ribbon School Award, which recognizes schools that perform at high levels or are making significant improvements in students’ academic achievement.
Saxman feels grateful for being part of the school’s success, and she said it will be hard to leave.
The decision wasn’t one she wanted to make, but she said changes in legislation and the waning respect for teachers led her to choose to step away.
“It’s not that I really want to quit teaching. I love to teach. It’s really going to be hard. I really struggled with it. Part of it is I get tired of teachers always being the whipping boy of the business people and legislature,” said Saxman. “No matter how hard we work, it’s never enough, it’s never good. Teacher used to be respected and now they’re kind of used as a lesson for everyone, and it’s not a good lesson, and it makes it harder to teach when the kids feel that.”
Though she has struggled over the years dealing with legislators’ decisions and standardized testing, the students always served as a reminder of why she continued to teach — the ability to positively influence the kind of people they will become.
Saxman has seen three generations of students pass through her fifth grade classroom, and the idea of being requested by her former pupils for their own children brings her joy.
“A lot of these kids, I’ve had their moms and dads and that always makes it special … I really loved it,” said Saxman. “I get hugs at the open house from big tall people and from little short people, and that makes it special.”
Her maturity as a veteran educator has brought years of adulation and is something the school will miss with her choice to retire, East principal Andy Schemenaur said.
Schemenaur taught beside Saxman before taking on the role of principal and has seen the special connection she creates with students through reading and other activities.
“She makes East a better place to be. We’re going to miss that when she’s gone,” said Schemenaur. “She is a sincere individual. … Her way of communicating with kids is pretty special and is a gift.”
And her fellow teachers echo that sentiment.
Fifth grade teacher Katie Kerns doesn’t want to see Saxman go, because she’s witnessed the kind of positive impact Saxman can make on both students and co-workers.
“I would love it if she didn’t retire because she’s a good lady to learn from. She’s been there, and she’s done it all,” said Kerns. “She’s a great mentor. … I’m very sad about it.”
While Saxman may be officially retiring, she won’t be gone for long.
She has plans to come back and help whenever needed and to stay a part of the East community as long as they want her to be.
She’ll miss the other teachers and her students, but she’s grateful for having been given the opportunity to be part of such a group.
 “I’ve been lucky, and I’ve loved every day of it. I really have,” said Saxman. “I’m such a much better teacher because I was here at East all these years … I just feel really incredibly lucky to have been here.”[[In-content Ad]]