A 31-year career in education is not uncommon.

Except when it’s all been about being a special education paraeducator.

That encompasses the career of Terry Menzel, who is retiring at the end of the school year. Menzel, who turns 66 in August, spent the last three years of her career at Arthur Jacobsen Elementary School.

“She’s the first one I’ve seen that long under me,” said Eric Daniel, who has been a principal within the Auburn School District for 17 years and has worked in education for 31 years. “Most people do shift around to different kinds of jobs or different paraeducation jobs. For her to work that many years in special education is pretty extraordinary. It’s quite a feat in itself.”

Daniel, who is Arthur Jacobsen’s principal, marvels at Menzel’s passion for the community, too. Menzel, a 1968 Auburn High School graduate, grew up in the area and stayed. Here, she and Edward, her husband of 45 years, raised their three children.

“It just tells you she appreciates our community and the people within,” Daniel said. “It’s been a wonderful place for her to grow up, raise her family and spend time with her grandkids.”

Menzel, who primarily has worked with students in the third through fifth grades, figures that she began volunteeringat Alpac Elementary around 1980, when her oldest child was a student there. She became a paraeducator in 1985 at Evergreen Heights, where she stayed five years before moving to Hazelwood. In 1992, she transferred to Ilalko, and in ’95 returned to Hazelwood, where she worked for the next 18 years.

“I could have the summers off with my kids, and it worked out great,” Menzel said.

At least well enough that Menzel never contemplated becoming a classroom teacher, which offers superior pay to paraeducators. Of course, Menzel sees a different benefit to her line of work.

“I like the freedom,” she said in comparison to being a teacher.

That has remained even as the work has changed. Menzel said the most significant difference from the beginning of her career to now is the volume of special needs students. In those early years, sometimes she was the only paraeducator working with special needs students in a classroom. Now, Menzel said, there could be as many as five.

One element that never has changed — her passion to keep art in the classroom curriculum.

“Doing art with the kids is always challenging, but it’s fun,” she said. “They get to take something home they can be proud of.”

At Arthur Jacobsen, she gave students black beans and corn to illustrate the school’s nickname: the Thunderbirds. Daniel said those projects often extend beyond classroom hours.

“Her contribution to education, and specifically to our structured special education learning center, has been amazing,” Daniel said. “She provides a lot of great nurturing, structure and support for our students. She’s always past her regular hours because she always wants to put together a special art project for our students.”

Mary Prestwich has worked with Menzel as a paraeducator for 10 of her 11 years in the district. During that decade, they have teamed with three different classroom teachers.

“I’ve been in that classroom with her for a decade because of her patience and understanding of students,” Prestwich said. “She makes the environment comfortable, and the students feel that.”

Environment also could aptly describe her retirement focus. She and her husband have taken their five grandchildren to the Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park in Montana, to Yellowstone National Park and to Mount Rushmore. This summer, they may explore Mount St. Helens and Pacific Ocean along the Washington Coast.

Menzel, who never has been east of South Dakota, said she and her husband also want to visit all of the nation’s national parks.”I like sightseeing,” she said. “I’m one of those that likes to explore. Where does that cave go?”

And when the weather does not lend itself to the outdoors, Menzel will turn her attention back toward the artwork she enjoyed in the classroom – with a different twist.

“I have a brand new sewing machine in a box,” she said. “I would like to start quilting. Maybe monogramming some towels.”

Prestwich will miss Menzel’s presence in the classroom, but looks forward to staying in touch with her.

“I’m really excited to see her adventures,” she said. “It’s hard to sum her up because she’s that unique and talented. The atmosphere will be different.”