As the 2023-24 school year has come to a close, North Central Parke Schools bid farewell to two esteemed staff members, each of whom has made significant contributions to the educational community.
Jana Crites, the NCP Technology Director, and Roberta Hobbs, the Behavior Interventionist at Rockville Elementary School, have announced their retirement, marking the end of an era of dedicated service.
Crites has been a cornerstone in the integration and advancement of technology within the district. Her efforts have ensured that students and faculty alike have access to the latest educational tools, enhancing learning experiences and technological advances.
Having spent her entire professional career in Parke County, Crites has been with the district for 43 years. She has served as the media specialist, technology coordinator and director of technology. She also served as an interim superintendent for six months.
“I was always a push-in type of teacher, originally teaching research skills, helping teachers integrate resources into their curriculum and the Dewey Decimal system, etc. I always tried to instill a love of reading in any student who came into the media center,” Crites said.
Over the years, she has served as the junior class sponsor, academic coach, as well as drama and student council sponsor. She also served as the yearbook advisor for 10 years.
“One of the most rewarding experiences of my career has been serving as the drama coach and helping students fulfill their dreams to act and be on stage,” Crites said. “Watching teachers blossom as fully digitally integrated instructors when we provided the equipment, training and guidance for them to transform their teaching has been one of the best moments in my job.”
Serving 43 years in one school, Crites has enjoyed visiting with staff members and students.
“I will miss the great staff from the corporation, current and past, but I will enjoy spending time with my colleagues who have retired before me,” she said. “I like the environment of a school corporation. You meet and work with many people over the span of 43 years. I have worked with six superintendents, multiple principals, many fellow educators and thousands of students over the years.”
She also had the opportunity to travel with several school trips. She took middle school students on multiple trips to Washington D.C. She also traveled with former Rockville High School staff members and visited Greece, Italy, Spain, France, England, Germany, Switzerland and Austria. She was also fortunate to travel with the program, People to People Student Ambassadors and for two summers traveled to England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales for 21 days.
Traveling is part of her retirement goals though she doesn’t have any specific plans right now.
Hobbs has played a crucial role in supporting student behavior and emotional development at Rockville Elementary School for the past three years. With a compassionate approach and unwavering patience, she has helped shape a nurturing environment that encourages positive behavior and student well-being.
Her 27-year teaching career has been one of many classroom changes. At Turkey Run Elementary School, she started her teaching career in third grade, moved to kindergarten and the young fives class, did a young fives high ability split with third grade, moved to fourth grade and finally settled in fifth grade math. She served as the Turkey Run Elementary principal for four years before returning to the classroom to teach fifth grade math. She then transferred to Rockville Elementary School to be the behavior interventionist.
Some of the best moments in teaching was when she was teaching math.
“The students who said that they couldn’t do math, but found success in my classroom provided me with special moments when I was in the classroom,” Hobbs said. “In my current role, watching students that I work with on behavior issues use the strategies that I have taught them and no longer need my interventions has provided me with a sense of accomplishment.”
While she is ready to retire, Hobbs will miss the great group of teachers in her pod area whom she worked with during her TRES.
“We had a lot of fun over the years and still reminisce about it. I have enjoyed getting to know the staff at RES as well as challenging myself in a new way as I am finishing up my career,” Hobbs said. “I will miss coming to see a great team of people that have been so supportive of me and each other. There are also a couple of students that I will miss next year.”
Upon her retirement, she is looking forward to making her own schedule and enjoying the nice days. She and her husband, Gary, plan to camp more in their vintage campers and to travel. Her three granddaughters are excited that she will no longer have to miss any of their events.
