The Big Sandy Mountaineer -

With the start of the 2023-2024 school year, several new faces will be visible at Big Sandy Schools. One new face will be familiar to locals. Linda Finke will be taking on special education at the High School and returning to school herself to earn her Masters in Special Education. Linda filled in as Amy Terry's full time teacher's assistant last year, when the teacher shortage resulted in our school only having one Special Education teacher. This year, Linda will be earning credentials and taking on the teaching position.

I visited with Linda while she was busy setting up her classroom durning the last week of summer vacation before the school year kicked off. She explained that her last minute busyness was a result of her tendency to take on "too much." She explained the importance of the extra effort she was putting into the room. She wanted it to be "Cozy, because kids need to have warmth." She was working away from the more sterile classroom setting. "It needs to be warm and cozy, especially for kids that have learning difficulties."

Linda explained her role last year: "I was an assistant because Amy couldn't be here all the time. I took over what Amy would have done, because she was spread very thin doing Title One for K through 12 instead of K through six. So that was a lot more things for her to do. I did what she would have done if she was another person. And so I was her full time teacher's assistant. Under Amy Terry's leadership and direction, I planned the lessons, taught, corrected papers, etc, while she was responsible for the IEP's and grading. We worked well together and make a good fit."

In the end, she took on the teaching job because "Nobody stepped up. I said 'If you need me to do something, tell me what to do and I will do it.' Both Amy and Mr. Schrock came up and said, 'Can you do this? Will you be able to do this?' And I said, 'I'll try my best. That's all I can do is try my best. That's what I tell the kids 'All we can do is try our best.'"

In her expanded role, Linda will be taking on a variety of new responsibilities. "I will teach math, reading, spelling, phonics, anything that the kids will have on their IEPs. (Individual Education Programs) It's almost like what I did last year. I did all the lesson planning and all the organizing and grading. I graded papers, but Amy took care of the grading in the books, because I wasn't a teacher and couldn't do that. But she will train me on that so I'll be able to do that. I'm actually going to take college classes too, because I have to have a degree in special ed to be teaching this. So I'll be teaching and studying at the same time." Linda will be taking on the new role under the guidance of Amy Terry. "Amy will be my mentor and will be guiding my through my classes."

Linda explained her feelings about picking up her education again: "I'm excited, anxious, nervous, all of the above, everything." Linda went on to explain that she earned her Bachelor of Science in Education, Physical Education K-12. She has also has taken several graduate classes. "I went to school to be a teacher, but I have a degree in physical education. Then life happened. I was hired on at several retail

stores for my educational background so they could train people. I was with Target for a long time. I was there because I could train people and get people to do what needed to be done."

Returning to teaching was a blessing for Linda, who loves teaching. "I just like to be here with the kids. I say 'I'm on on vacation when I'm at school.' I love it here. I love to see what happens with the kids when their brain start clicking like: 'Oh, I got this. I know what this is now.'"

When I asked what Linda does for fun, she explained that living on the prairie doesn't provide a lot of opportunities for her to socialize. She explained that she enjoys her weekly women's Bible Study group. She also enjoys crocheting as well as other other arts and crafts activities.

Linda has been a Big Sandy resident for 25 years. She is married to Fred Finke, who continues to ranch west of town. Her daughter, Grace, who graduated from Big Sandy High School, is currently engaged and will be married next spring.