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A retirement party was held for Jana Larson on Tuesday, June 6, to celebrate her 34-year career as an elementary school teacher at I.S.D. 166. Standing with Jana are fellow teachers Julie Viren on her left and Stephanie Lindstrom on her right. Staff photo Brian Larsen
After 34 years of teaching excellence, elementary school teacher Jana Larson decided to turn the page and close the book on this chapter of her life.
Her last day at I.S.D. 166 was Tuesday, June 6, when a party was held for her in conjunction with the all-staff year-end celebration. Deb Waage, one of her former teaching colleagues, got up at 4 a.m. and drove from Litchfield, Minnesota, to attend the party.
Jana started teaching at Birch Grove Elementary when it was part of the school district. For the majority of her career, Jana taught grades 1,2, and 4 at Sawtooth Elementary School. During her career, she was awarded the Milken Educator Award, called the “Oscars of Teaching,” given for her impressive teaching accomplishments. For years her classes made colorful mosaics that are seen on the sides of buildings in town.
The Milken Foundation summed up Jana thusly, “She frequently invites parents to participate in the teaching process and is a mentor to beginning teachers. Ms. Larson led her colleagues in preparing and training for the new Minnesota Graduation Standards and is part of the district’s new curriculum cycles, which fosters communication and accountability across all grade levels.”
Betsy Jorgenson, a colleague and friend, read a tribute to Jana at her retirement party. Here is a portion of that speech, “Jana’s unique magic was in her creativity and artistry. The fourth-grade experiences she developed was incredibly personable from the silhouette portraits to the plaster masks, to the terrariums to her history day project when kids showed up dressed as their person of choice they had researched. These were the hallmarks of Jana’s unique program.
“Behind the scenes, Jana was also always looking out for the entire school. Jana was instrumental in creating the beloved passport program with Julie Viren. She is responsible for our outdoor classroom and for getting our schoolyard garden built. Jana ushered Sawtooth into the 21st century by getting the first set of tablets into the classrooms. For years Jana served in leadership roles for the teachers’ union. And, for many of the principals who came through over the course of her career—Jana were in the background asking us how we could support our leaders. She devised plans to help draw out the principal’s strengths and make them more effective leaders. From kids to principals—Jana lifted them up and made them feel empowered and more capable of getting the hard work done.”
When it comes to teaching, as Marian Wright Edelman stated, “Education is for improving the lives of others and for leaving your community and world better than you found it.” Jana did that with a lot of love and compassion for her students, four of those of which I know intimately well. Thanks for the many years of service and commitment, Jana, and best of luck in your retirement!
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