In less than one month, K31 home office secretary, Mrs. Carol Stauffer, will trade in her phone and computer for a trowel and flowers as she begins her retirement after serving North Penn for 22 years.

Mrs. Stauffer attended North Penn High School and graduated in 1965.

“[North Penn] was smaller, class sizes were larger, and it was more structured and stricter,” she explained. “I hardly knew anyone who cut class…it wasn’t as widespread as it is today”.

Before coming to North Penn, Mrs. Stauffer was a secretary at a pharmaceutical company and then became a stay-at-home mom until 1991.

“That’s when I came here,” she continued. “before that I was a floral designer as well.”

Mrs. Stauffer was drawn to her first job explaining “I like the business world…my other jobs were not purely secretarial and it was different. I liked the bookkeeping aspects and other parts of business, and I also did some sales.”

“This job at North Penn worked out because I could take a job here for 10 months and then be with my kids in the summer,” she explained. “Most of the memories that I have are of really great friends who I’ll stay really close to…and I still get a kick out of the kids – I do enjoy having the students.”

With her retirement, Mrs. Stauffer plans to spend time traveling and to spend time with her family including her new grandson. “I’ll also be doing some part-time work back in floral design. Although I have not decided yet, I may also be a substitute at the high school.”

“I’ll go away with good feelings and memories,” expressed Stauffer. “ I’ve enjoyed all the people that I have met and it has been a lot of fun. My co-workers and the students are what I will miss that the most.”