Saturday, July 27, 2024
Starting her 23rd year employed at Gatesville Independent School District, Life Skills aide, Connie Lee, shows no signs of slowing down.
She was born in Kansas, and her family moved to Gatesville when she was in third grade. “I thought Gatesville was the biggest town – we had moved to the city,” Lee said with a grin. She began her education in the Gatesville school system but admitted that she dropped out as a freshman in high school. “I went back and got my GED and then went to McLennan Community College where I received a degree as a drugs and alcohol counselor.”
In 2002, she was persuaded to go to work at GISD and she began as a substitute at the high school cafeteria and very soon transitioned into working as an aide in Life Skills. She remained at the high school for nine years before transferring to Life Skills at Gatesville Intermediate where she remained for six years before going back to the high school. She would remain there for a few years before returning back to the intermediate campus. “All totaled, this will be my 23rd year – the majority of it being in Life Skills as an aide,” Lee said.
When asked what changes she’s experienced since beginning her career in Life Skills, Lee said “When I first started, we taught the children the basics of life, cooking, cleaning and, today, none of that is taught anymore - it’s all academics. The kids need to know how to sweep a floor, they need to know how to wash a dish: It’s Life Skills. They need these things to survive. Mama and daddy aren’t always going to be there. I don’t care if I just taught them how to make Ramen Noodles, run the microwave, wash their clothes. Today, I’m teaching them their A,B,C’s.”
As for the upcoming school year, she said, “We’re getting a big batch of students this year, and it’s like I’ve got all these keys and I’ve got to find out which one fits with this kid, where’s their lock at, what’s going to get to their head. You’ve got to win their trust. These kids don’t give it away freely.”
When asked if at the end of the day she feels like she’s made a difference, she replied, “Some days I do and some days its frustrating because some days I keep knocking; the key may not have fit yet, but I keep coming back and give it another shot. The biggest thing is to learn to talk to these kids and not argue with them – that would do nothing more than to escalate them. You learn to talk them down or just be quiet – sometimes, it’s okay to be quiet.”
“We’re all like special needs kids, we have things we will not do – there’s a line for each and every one of us,” she said.
Asked about what she’s learned over her years of service in Life Skills at GISD, she replied, “This is where I was supposed to be all along. The many years with all the other jobs I’ve had, but none of them can compare to how I’ve loved this job. There are days I’m so mentally drained and I just think I need to go to bed, but every day I look forward to coming back to see what the next day holds.”
“This job is something from your heart.”
In the past 23 years, Connie has influenced and inspired so many of her students as well as teachers and parents. Occasionally, when in public, she’ll run into a former student. “I still hug them in public, and, sometimes, they give me a few hints of who they are.”
