Among the 2012 staff retirees this year is Mrs. Kratochvil, also known fondly as “Mrs. K,” to her students. Her work in the special education department has been a valuable contribution to PR, and once she departs this work will not be forgotten.
Mrs. Kratochvil has worked at PR for several years as a member of the special education support staff. Initially she decided to come to Prairie Ridge because it was a bigger school compared to her previous workplace, but more specifically, as a member of the Prairie Ridge staff, she “felt [she] could make an impact on kids academically.”
Among her favorite memories are seeing the students she helped graduate from PR. Most importantly, Mrs. Kratochvil enjoyed “meeting all the fabulous staff here… and becoming kind of like a family with them.”
During retirement, Mrs. Kratochvil plans to spend time doing the activities she loves, like gardening, golf, and playing bridge. She also plans to take a quilting class and volunteer for the Crystal Lake Food Pantry.
As for the 2012 seniors, Mrs. Kratochvil advises them to “work hard and play hard, but work hard first!” She hopes that they will take college seriously and treat it as their number one job, and make the right choices.