(Photo by Kris Todd) Spencer Family YMCA Preschool teacher Marlis Kuiper took time to celebrate the final week of school with a few of her students. The teacher of 33 years is marking her last day today. [Order this photo]

After 26 years of service to the Spencer Family YMCA Preschool, Marlis Kuiper is retiring from teaching. Over 1,800 area students are estimated to have been taught in Kuiper's classroom during her 33-year career as a Spencer educator.

The gentle-natured 61-year-old, who is frequently described as being patient, kind and caring, was hired as a third grade teacher in the Spencer Community School District after graduating from Northwestern College in Orange City. After working seven years in the Johnson and former Lincoln elementary buildings, Kuiper took a seven-year break from teaching after she and her husband adopted two children: Jeff and Jill.

"And then I started here at the Y. I was only supposed to be here one semester, to take Nicole Christensen's place while she was on maternity leave, but I ended up here for 26 years," she said with a smile.

Twenty-five of Kuiper's 26 years at the Spencer Family YMCA Preschool were spent co-teaching with Susan Wedel. Amanda Hoffman assisted in her classroom this year.

"She is one of the most dedicated, patient, humble and amazing Christian women I have the privilege of knowing," Hoffman said of Kuiper. "She's come to the Y every day with a smile on her face, taught and treated the kids like they were part of her family."

The native of Hull, who is officially marking her last day working with 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds at the YMCA today, explained today's half-day classes are better designed to prepare children for kindergarten, as well as teach them how to be well-mannered citizens.

"We try to emphasize manners; like waiting until everybody's through at the tables before snack time, and saying 'No thank you' or 'Yes, please,'" Kuiper said. "We like them to learn to develop socially, how to play together. Starting with the 3-year-olds, they take turns, get in line and share their toys. An important part of preschool, I think, is the social aspect of getting along with others and learning there are rules they need to follow when they go to school."

While the academic notions covered over the past 2 1/2 decades in her classroom have covered letters, numbers, colors and shapes, the retiring teacher also shared that the concepts being taught to preschool students are much more advanced than years ago.

"The last three years we've done more things like Visual Phonics, which helps them learn the sound of letters, and Handwriting Without Tears, where they have a wooden shape of a letter they can put onto the same shape on the table. (The program) helps them to not get so upset about trying to learn to make the letters," Kuiper explained.

Of the 62 children in her classroom this year, Kuiper indicated she also taught several of their parents. Of the assortment of two-generation families she's instructed over the years, Kuiper said she marked her first grandmother-grandson combination this year: Grandmother Sue (Sonius) Selzer, who had Kuiper as a third grade teacher years ago, has a grandson, Landon Seymour, who was enrolled in one of her classes this year.

"Over the years, I've heard so many funny comments. If I would have written them down, I could have written a nice book," she chuckled. "The other day, one of the little girls was telling her mother, 'That teacher has good knee bending skills.' It's funny what they come up with sometimes.

"You also have to be able to take comments like: 'Your hair looks funny,' 'Your butt is too big for the chair,' or 'Your teeth are yellow,'" Kuiper added. "But mostly, they're very loving and it's fun to have them give you a hug."

Kuiper plans to travel with her husband, Gary, who retired as a Spencer Middle School math teacher three years ago, as well as spend more time with their children and grandchildren, who now include Keryk Kuiper of Iowa City, and Dylan and Amelia Langlois of Lake St. Louis, Mo. Church work, reading, volunteering and possibly substitute teaching may also fill her time as a new retiree.

COME AND GO COFFEE

A come-and-go coffee to honor Marlis Kuiper will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. today in the commons area of the Spencer Family YMCA, located at 1001 11th Ave. W. Come celebrate her retirement!