For Mrs.Lisa Krzemien, North Penn has never been just a workplace.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s where she found her calling again after stepping away from education for nearly 20 years. It\u2019s where coworkers became a \u201csecond family\u201d. It\u2019s where students she once supported now stop to talk to her at events with children of their own. And it\u2019s where everyday moments, which rarely feel big at the time, added up to more than two decades of a career she says she never could have fully walked away from until now.<\/p>\n
And after 26 years at North Penn High School, it\u2019s the place she now has to say goodbye to.<\/p>\n
\u201cNorth Penn has been like my second family,\u201d Krzemien said. \u201cThe people that I work with are tremendous. Especially the Special ED department. We are family.\u201d<\/p>\n
Although retirement brings excitement, especially with a new grandchild on the way, stepping away from the students and coworkers she has spent years alongside is not easy.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a bittersweet retirement,\u201d Krzemien said. \u201cI\u2019m looking forward to it. My son is having a baby, so I\u2019m looking forward to spending time with my grandchildren, but I\u2019m gonna miss the kids.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ask Krzemien what kept her motivated through the 26 years at North Penn, and the answer comes without hesitation.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe kids. The Kids,\u201d Krzemien said. \u201cThey\u2019re the reason for everything.\u201d<\/p>\n
While education became her true calling, Krzemien\u2019s path to North Penn was not exactly direct. After one year of college studying teaching, she stepped away to help run her family\u2019s business for nearly 20 years before eventually finding herself back into education.<\/p>\n
\u201cI finally went back to the calling,\u201d Krzemien reflected. \u201cSo, I came here, been doing that and loving it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Over 26 years in the district, 25 of them spent at the high school, Krzemien became a familiar face in nearly every corner of the building. As a paraprofessional in special education, no two days looked the same.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m all over the building,\u201d Krzemien laughed. \u201cI can go from B-Pod to the gym, back to A-Pod. I\u2019m all over the place.\u201d<\/p>\n
Whether assisting students in inclusion classrooms or working in an autistic support room, Krzemien said the variety of each day was part of what made the job so rewarding.<\/p>\n
\u201cI could be in math, I could be in English, biology, ecology,\u201d Krzemien said. \u201cI love it. I love working with all the teachers. I love seeing everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n
But over time, it was never just the schedule or the work itself that defined her experience, it was the relationships built along the way. The special education department, she said, became a second family in every sense of the word.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I tell you, they\u2019re like a second family, they really are,\u201d Krzemien said. \u201cThey\u2019ve been through the good and bad times in my life and all these years.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rather than singling out individuals, Krzemien chose to reflect on the special education department as a whole, emphasizing the closeness of the people she worked beside every day.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe special education department has been wonderful,\u201d Krzemien said. \u201cAnd I\u2019m telling you, North Penn is a great place to work. The people are wonderful.\u201d<\/p>\n
Now, as she prepares to retire, those relationships are part of what makes leaving the most difficult.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a transition she describes as both joyful and heavy at the same time. Excitement for what\u2019s ahead, but gratitude for what she\u2019s leaving behind.<\/p>\n
Even then, Krzemien doesn\u2019t see this as a full goodbye. She plans to stay involved as a substitute teacher and continue as the Italian Club advisor, a role she\u2019s held for 18 years.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo I\u2019m going to keep my foot in the door,\u201d Krzemien said. \u201cJust not two, just one.\u201d<\/p>\n
Outside of school, Krzemien is most looking forward to spending more time with her grandchildren, something she already speaks about with excitement.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy son has already assigned me two days a week when the baby\u2019s born,\u201d Krzemien joked. \u201cMy grandson\u2019s eight now, and he\u2019s the love of my life. So I can\u2019t wait to be able to do more.\u201d<\/p>\n
Looking back on her career, some of Krzemien\u2019s favorite moments have come long after students leave the school. Seeing former students grow into adults, parents, and successful people has reminded her of the impact she made over the years.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne of the students that I had for three years, because I was in academic support, said to me, \u2018Did you ever think we’d be hanging out at a fair with your grandson and my kids?\u2019 And I’m like, \u2018No, never thought this would happen\u2019 But this is great, because then I know that I did make a difference.\u201d Krzemien said.\u2029\u201dHe’s doing great. You know, they’re all doing great. And we had that rapport that we actually could hang out.\u201d<\/p>\n
After more than two decades walking the halls of North Penn, Krzemien hopes the community remembers the care she brought to her role each day.<\/p>\n
\u201cBeing a paraprofessional was never just a job,\u201d Krzemien said. \u201cIt was a chance to make a difference every day.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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