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Cecilia McDonaldAfter Cecelia McDonald retired, she missed seeing and connecting with her students. She felt she still had a lot to offer, so she became a substitute teacher.

“Substitute teaching allows me to interact with kids and stay current with education trends,” Cecelia said. “I love that every day is new when I’m subbing.”

Before becoming a substitute teacher with MHED, Cecelia spent most of her career in Garden City, Kansas.

“I taught general music education, third grade, and Interrelated Resource — this was all at the elementary level,” she said. “I was also a supervisor/coordinator of Special Education with the Garden City Public Schools.”

After moving to eastern Kansas, I taught children with autism with the Blue Valley School District.”

Though she enjoys teaching all students, her favorite grade levels to teach are primary grades.

“I think kids like my positive approach. I like to maintain an orderly classroom, but do it with kindness, compassion, and respect for students. I believe students can sense and appreciate this.”

When she is not teaching, Cecelia enjoys spending time with her son Gabe, his wife Samantha, her daughter Erin and her family, Brevin and Hudson, her mother Martha, and Seamus, her overly energetic Schnoodle.

“Every afternoon, I go to the most important job in the world: I watch my 3-year-old grandson, Hudson. I also enjoy knitting and weaving, and playing old-time and Celtic style fiddle.”

Cecilia was chosen as our November Sub of the Month because she is always willing to take last minute assignments even if it is a little outside of her comfort zone. She is very dependable and receives great feedback from the teachers that she works for. Thanks Cecelia for being an “Awesome MHED Substitute”!