Wednesday, May 24, 2017 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
11
Long-time Sisters educator retiring
By Erin Borla
Correspondent
After 31 years teaching in
the Sisters School District,
Norma Pledger is retiring.
Pledger, born in Prineville,
was hired in 1986 by long-
time Sisters Elementary
School Principal Earl
Armbruster after teaching for
two years in Culver. Through
her career Pledger has taught
6th, 5th, 2nd, grade 4/5 blends
and most recently 5th grade.
Pledger has many posi-
tive memories of her time in
Sisters.
“Working with people
like Diane Jacobsen and Lori
Small — we were a great
team,” she said. “It was very
memorable to be able to work
with such outstanding teach-
ers; I learned a lot from them.
“One of my best memories
was at the elementary school
when we had A-wing assem-
blies,” she continued. “Every
classroom had a month and
we had to put on a play of
something the students had
been studying. We had such a
home and community feel in
every classroom and so much
ownership. I loved that.”
Pledger remembers shar-
ing family-style meals with
the classroom.
“It was such a blessing to
get to know the kids — eat-
ing lunch and teaching them
manners. We had activities
like treasure hunts to teach
students directional skills that
led up to a barbecue in the
park; we gave out the Golden
Garbagecan; and sing-a-
longs. The music programs
that Elizabeth Renner put on:
Those are memories that will
stay with me.”
When the Sisters School
District made the decision to
move the fifth grade to Sisters
Middle School, Pledger was
tapped to be the lead teacher
for that grade. She was in
charge of ordering furniture
and equipment and every-
thing the District would need
for this transition.
“People were nervous,”
she said. “Adding fifth grade
to the middle school — that
was different.”
Many of her students have
stayed in contact through
Christmas cards, wedding
and birth announcements and
phone calls for advice.
“It’s neat to see how kids
give back; many past students
are now doctors and lawyers
and generally incredible
human beings. It’s amazing
when you knew them at 8 or
10 years old,” Pledger said.
Pledger has now taught
around 10 second-generation
students.
“To have my previous stu-
dents say to me ‘I want you to
be my child’s teacher because
you taught me and made an
impact on my life’ — I’m
very proud,” she said.
One of her daughters,
Stephanie (Pledger) Burke,
has followed in her moth-
er’s footsteps and is teach-
ing kindergarten at Sisters
Elementary School.
“It is really special that I
was raised in this amazing
community and now get to
teach where my mom raised
me,” said Burke. “I feel that
she is instrumental to the
Sisters School District. It is
a huge compliment when I
am told that I am following
in her footsteps. She will be
very missed!”
“It really has come full
circle, Stephanie is now giv-
ing back to the community.
Her children will be raised
PHOTO BY ERIN BORLA
Norma Pledger is retiring after a three-decade career.
here,” Pledger said.
In her retirement Pledger
looks forward to spending
time with her grandchildren
and golfing.
Don’t expect her to stay
away too long from education
in Sisters.
“I am excited to go back
and substitute, help out at the
elementary school and offer
support with teacher train-
ing,” she said. “I want to thank
the staff at Sisters elementary,
middle and high schools —
they mean a lot to me. Thank
you to the community for
their support over the last 30
years.”
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