Tribute to a Born Teacher!

We are celebrating our family role-model, hero, and teaching superstar! Yesterday, the Sherman-Williamsville cusd#15 formally expressed their appreciation to Monique. She has officially retired for the second time! The first was in 2013 after devoting 21 years to teaching at Sherman Elementary School. The second retirement occurred this fall as she wrapped up 12 years of substituting at the same school!

Superintendent Tip Reedy assisted by Jenny Brennan, Taylor Payne, and others from the office staff formally recognized Monique’s years of service with a special thank-you note and gift bag at the district office in Williamsville. It was an opportunity to express appreciation and to take a picture of the event that was later posted on the school’s Facebook page. Monique was blessed by all the attention and especially all those who “liked” the post and/or made a comment!

Teachers are a combination of natural aptitude and training. Monique has felt her calling to teach since the early childhood days growing up in her family when she would line up her baby dolls for instruction! Her dad was a pastor of the local Baptist church, and her French mother guided the children in music, language, and other cultural and educational pursuits. Monique would go on to receive her B.S. in Education from Eastern Illinois University.

As a stay-at-home mom for two sons and twin daughters, Monique taught piano the first half of her career while I was going to seminary and serving churches in Granbury and Houston, Texas. When we returned to Illinois in January 1992 after fifteen years away, she started substituting in our neighborhood school. Later in the fall, she would be given a contract to teach by Principal Rick Thrasher. This would launch her twenty-one-year teaching career as a classroom educator for the Sherman-Williamsville Community School District!

Monique retired in the spring of 2013 and would begin substituting several days a week at Sherman Elementary. When her friends would ask, “How do you like retirement?” She would readily respond, “I like it fine now that I’m back teaching again!” Some of those close friends would smile but just shake their heads in bewilderment. It would seem to be a contradiction, but for Monique it was a calling! She had to teach! That’s what she does!

I have shared a close-up look at this professional educator now for fifty-three years of marriage! My family and I have seen her in action. She has distinguished herself over the years for her tireless work ethic, commitment to public education, and love for the classroom and for the students who have passed through her instruction over more than thirty years now!

Monique is a high achiever! She set a high bar of expectation for each of us with her commitment to excellence, life-long learning, teamwork, and service to the local community. While teaching, she was always taking care of our family with excellent sit-down meals each day. She has always been available to offer help with the kid’s homework and was always ready to attend school and athletic events. She typed our papers (mine included!), corrected our grammar, and cheered our successes!

She has also served several years as a scoring official for volleyball after engaging in a full day of classroom instruction. In addition, she was active in our local church playing the piano and synthesizer keyboard for weekly worship and numerous special music programs. She has supported and stood by this pastor in countless ways of self-service! We are forever indebted to her contribution in our lives!

The Bible speaks often about faithfulness to God. Monique has been that faithful servant throughout the years. She is compassionate, generous, and always loving in her temperament. She is a quiet and faithful witness for Christ. She also models what the Scriptures say about stewardship of life and faithfulness to one’s vocational calling: “A faithful person will be blessed!” (Proverbs 28:20a, NIV).

Thank you, Sherman-Williamsville cusd#15, for blessing our beloved, Monique Keppler, with these special words of appreciation…

“Thank you, Monique, for your years of service and dedication to the Williamsville-Sherman school district. Our staff and students are forever grateful for the lasting impact you have made throughout the years. You will always be a part of our team!”

Mike Keppler, retired pastor,
active churchman and
doting grandparent.
Contact: drmjkeppler@gmail.com
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