My Years At King School in the Gifted Program
by Rae Biesiadecki, September, 2001

I spent ten years at King School. I began my tenure at King School teaching second grade to 18 wonderful second graders. My former class had been 32 second graders in East Moline, Illinois, so my smaller class with supportive parents was a real treat! I had a terrific year.
That summer one class of second graders was eliminated; thus I moved to third grade. I had many of my students from second grade again and had a chance to get to know these students and parents very well! What a nice opportunity. I taught third grade until my last two years at King School, when I transferred to second grade.
During my time at King, I taught under three principals: Peter Damby, Angela Davis, and Connie Carter. When I began teaching at the school, we housed a neighborhood program and a gifted program. Halfway through my ten years, the neighborhood program was moved from the building and King became a K-6 gifted program. My final two years the sixth grade moved to the middle school. The gifted central office had many, many changes during my ten years with the program.
My greatest joy during my days at King was the wonderful people I met. The children I came in contact with still bring pride in me when I run into them and see how they are growing and blossoming. Their parents gave me hope that there are so many adults in the world who truly care about and cherish their children. Children, of course, are the world¹s greatest gift.