Jan Leible, former secretary at Sacred Heart School, has retired after 34 years.
Leible started her retirement Sept. 15 and is enjoying sleeping in past 5 in the morning.
Leible reminisced recently about her time at Sacred Heart and all her fond memories.
She loved her job, saying it felt more like a blessing than a paycheck.
Leible looked forward to all the students’ smiles and hugs every day, which is what got her excited about each day she worked.
“It’s a very energizing and awarding sight each day that keeps you going,” Leible stated.
Leible managed each day of her 34 years with the sense of joy that surrounded her by students and staff.
She once thought about leaving when her youngest son was in his final year at the school, but more than 20 years later, she found herself still enjoying being at Sacred Heart.
“I never felt the feeling of dreading to go to work,” Leible said. “I only felt happiness to go to work each day and I’m so thankful that I never had a bad experience at my job.”
She not only built a relationship with the students, but with the families as well.
Leible can recall always helping new families learn their way around Poplar Bluff, so she felt part of a community service as well as a secretary, and that made her feel good to be able to help in any way.
Leible is very proud of how structured the school remained throughout the years. She agreed that consistent structure was good for the students especially in fast moving times.
“The families adapted to new ways of life and what their children could get by with, but the school pretty much maintained the same rules and expectations throughout the years,” Leible said.
Leible does plan to stay retired, but doesn’t mind going back to Sacred Heart to volunteer from time to time. She will miss seeing all the students, but is happy she still has church and the grocery store to run into them and their families.
She would like the school to know it was an absolute joy to have worked there for 34 years and she hopes nothing but the best and a lot of luck for her replacement, Lisa.
“It’s a wonderful place to work at. The staff are very good and the children are wonderful,” Leible said.