After a lifetime in Simcoe County schools, Kathi Wallace is calling it a career

After more than seven years in the top job, and almost four decades working for the Simcoe County District School Board, Kathi Wallace will be retiring at the end of this year.

Chair Peter Beacock made the announcement at the Board meeting last night.

"We are very proud of the work that she has done," he said, thanking Director of Education Kathi Wallace for her dedication to students and families throughout her career.

"Director Wallace has worked tirelessly to get our board where we are today. She truly came up through the ranks."

Wallace says she is looking forward to her retirement, but her eyes filled with tears as she talked about the best parts of her career as teacher, vice principal, principal, superintendent and education director.

"I definitely have mixed emotions about this," she said. "When you spend your entire life with the system, you certainly have mixed emotions."

It's the immense pride with everybody here," she added. "We still have that in this board and that's amazing."

Looking way back to the start of her career in 1977, Wallace says she clearly remembers her first day as a Grade 2 teacher at Allison Union Public School.

"It's your first experience in the classroom and it is incredible. You don't ever forget that."

There are still encounters at local grocery stores and other community spots with the now grown up children who once filled her classrooms.

"They will stop and say, 'Hi, Mrs. Wallace.' and I have to say 'Give me some more hints," Wallace says with a broad smile.

"I remember some of there names from that first class, but it takes me a moment or two to get it when I see them . . . they have beards and things now."

The mother of one of her first pupils will still stop Wallace in a store or around town, to let her know how he's doing.

"He's a grown man with children of his own, and she still lets me know how Chris is doing," Wallace said. "It's the relationships like that that are the best part."

While her teaching career started in that Grade 2 class, Wallace's connection to the SCDSB goes back much further.

"I went to Cookstown Central and then Banting Memorial," she says. "I guess you could say this has been my whole life."

Under her leadership, the SCDSB opened 12 new schools and she spearheaded the exploration of community partnerships that resulted in shared use agreements and expanded program opportunities for students.

It's the opening of Bear Creek Secondary School that stands out for Wallace, the first principal there.

"That opportunity helped me to solidify my philosophy on education," she explained. "It was an amazing experience."

Wallace left Bear Creek for a job as superintendent of education in 2005 and then she was appointed director of education in 2009.

She led the system through technology infrastructure improvements, including adding Wi-Fi to all schools and providing laptops to teachers.

"Kathi has led our organization through some challenging situations," Chair Beacock said. "We faced opposition when we decided to introduce Wi-Fi to all schools and Kathi believed strongly that the young people of Simcoe County deserved internet access in their schools.

"That determination made much of the 21st Century learning and teaching happening in our schools today possible."

Wallace will retire on Dec. 31. The Board will conduct a recruitment process to fill the position over the next three months.