2017 is the last year for Chadron High art teacher, Patty Bird, before she retires. Mrs. Bird has been a teacher for CPS for fifteen years. When she first started teaching for CPS, she began at the middle school full time, teaching art for fifth through eighth graders and industrial technology for seventh and eighth graders and then later began switching between the middle school and high school. Before she taught at CPS, Mrs. Bird taught for two years at Alliance High School, Emerson Elementry and Grandview Elementry, three years at Sandy Creek Jr./Sr., which is located near Kearney, NE., and two years at Central Community College in Kearney, NE.
After being part of the Chadron schools for so long, Mrs. Bird will miss the students and faculty a lot. Because Mrs. Bird was part of the Chadron Public Schools for so long, she had many opportunities to make memories that she will remember forever. Her favorite thing about Chadron Schools though, is that she had the privilege of "watching the 5th graders come into the Middle School so small and unsure of themselves. Then, having the privilege of watching them grow through 6th, 7th and 8th grades. And the best part is also having them as students again in High School where I can see them mature and become independent. I am able to see their accomplishments and share memories with them before they graduate and leave for work or college life."
She states the students' "humor, fun ways of making art, and attacking life are always the highlight of my day." She'll miss working with "kind, interesting, unique people with great ideas and humor."
Although she's sad she's leaving, Mrs. Bird has a plan ready for after she retires. Her and her husband plan on moving to South Dakota in the Hills somewhere, because they both love it there. She will continue making art work, and in between all of this, she will be visiting her daughters in Chicago, Denver, and Montana while continuing to travel to places such as Scottland, Europe, Canada, Washington State, as well as many other places to continue expanding and learning more about her passion for art.
~CHS Newspaper Class
