CARLYLE - Melissa Roy-Brown has taught elementary classes for 35 years and is calling it a career, but will continue to be a substitute teacher for Carlyle when needed.
Roy-Brown was raised on a farm near Lampman and attended the public school in the town until she graduated.
Roy-Brown loved school, enjoyed reading and liked children, so she attended the University of Saskatchewan to become a high school English teacher.
While in university she had the opportunity to go to an elementary school and loved it.
At the time, she would have had to change her options to become an elementary teacher instead and has never regretted her choice.
She married Larry Brown and they have four children.
Hayley lives in Carlyle and is a childcare giver, Shania is in Estevan as a social worker, Josh lives in Saskatoon where he is a corrections officer, and Xander is in grade 5 and loving school.
Roy-Brown had a great career beginning in Arcola. She then went to Redvers for a year. Roy-Brown returned to Arcola, teaching Grade 2 for 17 years till 2002.
In 2006, Roy-Brown would move to Carlyle to teach Grade 3 and has remained there until her retirement.
Teaching Grade 3 was enlightening to Roy-Brown, as every subject is taught and there was always a lot of planning.
Teachers often take home papers to correct or read and even when a teacher is sick, they still must have the day prepared for the substitute teacher.
“I will not miss the after-hours work, but I will miss the kids,” she said.
When Roy-Brown retires it will give her more time to be with her 92-year-old mom, who moved in five years earlier.
Roy-Brown feels retirement came at the right time as her oldest daughter is expecting her first child and Roy-Brown’s first grandbaby, which so happens to be a girl and is expected one month after her retirement.
She is looking forward to the upcoming summer.
