tcrow@taylorisd.org Cathy Bollinger is retiring after twelve years in Taylor ISD, twenty-three years total. She always knew she wanted to work with children, perhaps as a child psychologist or a missionary. But after studying early childhood education in college, working in daycare and then at a private school, she went to the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (UMHB) to pursue a teaching degree and began her career in Taylor ISD.
“While I was at Mary Hardin-Baylor I did some substituting in the different schools for Taylor ISD, and middle school called me a lot.” Bollinger said. “I had planned to be a kindergarten teacher and work with little kids. But I found out middle school kids were just little kids in big bodies. I got close enough to them to talk to the child within them and they responded really well.”
After graduating from UMHB, Bollinger was hired by TMS principal, Larry Sutton, to teach seventh and eighth grade resource math. That spring, she talked with Northside principal, Tim Crow, about openings at the new Naomi Pasemann Elementary School scheduled to open in the fall. Crow hired her to teach second grade, and she later worked with students in the dyslexia program. Then she moved back to her hometown of Jourdanton.
“When I moved to Jourdanton I was part of the Texas Rural Systemic Initiative and Texas Math Initiatives and received extensive training in both science and math,” Bollinger said. “I was able to set up the science lab and assist in training teachers on our campus. This was when the first science TAKS test was introduced to 5th grade.”
The most rewarding part of her career has been the opportunity of teaching the whole child, and watching students succeed.
“One of the things that drew me into working with children is that I was bullied as a kid,” Bollinger said. “When I work with students and see that they feel successful, and start believing in themselves, and find something they are good at and it makes sense to them, I can tell they are going to be okay. Not only with the academics, but also the world around them. Seeing them grow up and become successful parents, nurses, teachers . . . that’s amazing.”
Bollinger said another exciting part of her career has been the opportunity of working at two new schools, Naomi Pasemann Elementary and Main Street Intermediate, the year those campuses opened, and getting to know Naomi Pasemann.
“She was such an inspiration to me,” Bollinger said of Mrs. Pasemann. “She always treated me as if I was one of her dear friends. When I saw her in HEB, she called me by name and we had a conversation. I went away feeling like I was one of her best friends.”
Bollinger’s advice for new teachers is to always remember what it was like to be young.
“Remember what it feels like to be a kid,” Bollinger said. “Know that the one thing you say or do might be the one moment that is most important to that child. Remember why you became a teacher and what it’s all about.”
Now that she’s retired, Bollinger plans to spend more time with family and friends and to travel.
