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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (March 1, 2017)
Wednesday, March 1, 2017 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon 5 Sisters educator retiring after 33-year teaching career By Steve Kadel Correspondent It’s a familiar story. Someone visits Sisters Country for recreation, the visits become more frequent, and before long they’ve found a way to move here. That was the scenario for Janis Quiros and her hus- band. They were living in Seattle and longing for a life- style that would allow them to ski and be involved in other outdoor activities when they realized Sisters was the answer. “This area was without a doubt the place to be,” Quiros said. That was more than three decades ago. Since then, Quiros established herself as a vital part of Sisters School District, being hired in 1984 by former superintendent Ron Ball and elementary principal Earl Armbruster to teach seventh- and eighth- grade Spanish and English. Thirty-three years later, she has announced her retire- ment from the only district she’s ever worked. In a letter to the school board, Quiros called teaching her pas- sion and said “every student touched me in some way.” In accepting the resigna- tion request, which becomes effective June 14, school board chairman Jeff Smith thanked Quiros for her long service. “She has done a great job and has provided lots of extra services for our kids,” he said. Quiros taught Spanish and French to ninth- through 12th-grade students after the new high school was built in 1992. Girls soccer didn’t exist then, so Quiros recruited students to join a co-ed soccer team and it grew into the current soccer program. There was lots more, too. “During my career I took on the role of Sisters Education Association presi- dent and secretary,” she said. “I had the pleasure of work- ing with seven principals and eight superintendents. I was a member of the Oregon State Board for textbook reviews, designed world language curriculums, was secretary of the Confederation in Oregon for Language Teaching, and facilitated local committees.” She also teamed with for- mer elementary principal Tim Comfort to design the first bilingual education program in the district, which Quiros coordinated. As tennis coach, her teams competed in three state tournaments. Quiros has seen lots of changes in education during her career. Technology ranks as the biggest change of all. “Having access to hybrid online courses, use of PowerPoint, chat, email, smart phones, and tablets has changed pedagogy and learn- ing styles for students,” she said. Other factors such as non- traditional learning, declining budgets and student-centered proficiency are changes Quiros has seen in the educa- tion landscape. She grew up in the Midwest and graduated from Lafayette Jefferson High School in Indiana. She earned a Spanish degree from Indiana University, an English degree from the University of Oregon, and studied bilingual education at Oregon State University and Portland State University. Quiros said she was attracted to a teaching career after enjoying teaching swimming and diving lessons as a teen. She also worked summers and weekends as a nanny. She always enjoyed school and said that might have been a factor in her career choice. The longtime teacher plans to continue her own learning in retirement. Quiros wants to learn the Italian lan- guage, write short stories, and run more half-marathons once she has additional free time. She also hopes to par- ticipate in more bike rac- ing, live in Europe, begin to design clothing again, and visit family more often. Substitute teaching and volunteering are also on her to-do list for retirement. She leaves the school dis- trict with memories that will last forever. “My most cherished memory is when the first Sisters High School opened,” PHOTO PROVIDED Sisters teac2er Janis Quiros said advancements in tec2nology 2ave been t2e biggest c2ange in education during 2er long career. Quiros said. “The positive energy, the excitement, inter- viewing a new staff with dif- ferent interests from all over the U.S. was powerful. We provided a wide variety of offerings, five different for- eign languages, vocational programs, and photography classes.” Rainwater makes everything beautiful! GRAND OPENING! HOMEMADE BREAKFASTS, LUNCHES & BAKED GOODS TAKE-N-BAKE PIZZAS Opening Saturday, March 4 — Sisters owned — The RAINWATER CAFE & PIZZERIA 161 E. Cascade Ave., Sisters Open every day 7 a.m.-7 p.m. In Town Square • 541-914-5394 Espresso ICE CREAM BURGERS Biscotti Sandwiches Homemade Lunches Gluten-free Options Soups Pies Scones Homemade Breakfasts Coffee $1 (A buck per cup, always!) R E T A W N I A R THE FT SHOP GI tic ec An ecl n of o collecti y beaut , across the Square ainwater n w o T R n I m The zeria o r f ll a h Piz Cafe & “Diggs” g the Do