Sheila Baumgardner loves teaching children.
Judging from the reception she received from parents when she presented the Milton Elementary School improvement report to the Cape Henlopen School Board, parents know that and appreciate it.
“I think parents understand I really care about their children and I really want what is best for them,” she said.
So, it is bittersweet for her to leave behind 41 years of teaching and Milton Elementary School, a school she helped start five years ago. Baumgardner is retiring at the end of this school year.
“My husband retired seven years ago. He’s been waiting for me,” she said with a smile. The pair are packing up their motorhome and heading west with their three dogs and bird. They are going to Montana’s Glacier National Park, Oregon, Washington state and California this summer.
And she is looking forward to it.
Baumgardner retired from Anne Arundel County, Md., schools in 1997 and came to Delaware where she spent more than four years in the Woodbridge School District before becoming assistant principal at Rehoboth Elementary School.
Midway through the school year, she was assigned to be principal of Milton Elementary School. She took on the work of putting together a staff and setting up the building before she took her staff on a retreat.
As a group, they came up with a vision of what they wanted their school to be like.
“We wanted to serve the needs of all students in a nurturing and caring environment, to be strong academically and to pull together as a team. There is always more to do, but we believe we’ve achieved all our vision, within 95 percent,” she said.
The school’s vision in many ways reflects Baumgardner’s own theory of education and of guiding students. She describes herself as friendly and nurturing, but firm when she needs to be. Quiet and thoughtful, she is a proponent of positive reinforcement, encouragement and helping her students grow.
She does not subscribe to old-fashioned discipline. One may be likely to see her sitting down with a truant student, discussing why his or her choice was bad and what choice may have been wiser, before deciding the appropriate consequence.
In the way she works with her students and takes a personal interest in them, it is easy to see how much she enjoys what she does.
She taught a variety of subjects over her teaching career, including math, social studies, English and physical education. She has taught many grades and says elementary students are her favorites. Their spontaneity, creativity and excitement for learning draw her to young students.
Although children have changed over her career, becoming more precocious and more technology-focused, she is still very happy around them.
“I feel like I can make a difference with them. Making a difference is big for me,” she said.
That kind of commitment and enthusiasm for her career make walking away that much harder. But Baumgardner has things to look forward to and is confident her students will be well taken care of.
“I’m so excited to spend time with my husband and to travel, but I’m really sad to be leaving my school, my staff and my kids,” Baumgardner said. “But I’m very glad to be leaving the stress of this position behind,” she added.
She is full of confidence that Kevin Mumford, who will take the reins of Milton Elementary School upon her retirement, will take good care of her school.
“I’m absolutely ecstatic they chose him to follow me. Leaving is easier because I know Mr. Mumford will take over,” she said.
With that sentiment at heart, she is ready to move on and take on new ventures.
