You might know Ms. Petty, a teacher from Frontier Middle School. She’s been teaching since 1997, starting at Heritage Elementary, then at South Middle, Peine RIdge Elementary, and finally Frontier Middle.
In 2023, she retired to stay home with her granddaughter, but when her daughter decided to stay home with her instead, thankfully, a teaching position opened back up. Now, she’s retiring from being a full teacher in 2025 after her position was no longer needed since it was filled.
“I absolutely loved visiting with my past students,” Petty said. She subbed here at the school a few weeks ago, and students flocked to the English class she was subbing for. Many of the students in the class recognized her, and many came to visit her during passing period.
“I went right to go find her in Ms. Goforth’s room,” Emma Huff (9) said, who went to go find Petty when she subbed. Along with lots of others, no matter how long it had been since they last saw her. “She signed my arm. I cried when I had to wash it off.”
Being a substitute teacher is much different from being a long term teacher.
“Regular substitute teaching is like being a new kid at a school over and over again,” Petty said. She’s currently trying to get a position as a long-term sub at FMS and North Point. She wants to get to know the students and teachers well.
“I get bored easily if I’m off too long,” Petty said. She would much rather have a long term teaching job than being a substitute. If the chance arrived, she would gladly take a new position as a teacher. Seeing all the kids greet her when she subbed here solidified that decision.
Petty hopes that a creative writing club will open up here at Liberty, much like the one she hosted at FMS. The club even sprang up a few published poems, and she hopes that if a writing club is to open up here, that the same will happen. She hopes it will harbor the same amount of excitement and enthusiasm that it had in the past.
Hopefully subbing will be just as fulfilling as being a full time teacher for her. We wish her the best of luck on her new job, and hope that everyone will stay creative for her.
