Since 1976 Mrs. Karen Raffetto has been a teacher in the Tyrone School District, all but two of those years spent as one of the district’s most beloved Kindergarten teachers.  However, Reffetto has decided that the 2014-2015 school year will be her last as a she plans to retire at the conclusion of this year.

Raffetto learned she had a passion for teaching from her family. “I have a large extended family and always loved interacting with the little cousins, nieces, and nephews.  When thinking about a career path, I decided to take that love of children and use it while educating children in our community,” said Raffetto.

Raffetto grew up in Tyrone and attended Logan Elementary as well as Tyrone High School.  She moved on to Penn State Altoona for two years before transferring to Penn State University Park for her final two years of college.  She did her student teaching at Washington-Jefferson Elementary School in the Altoona Area School District.

Raffetto began her teaching career at Tyrone in 1976 as a second grade teacher at Adams Elementary.  After two years there she began teaching Kindergarten at Logan School.  Raffetto has taught Kindergarten in five different buildings over the course of her career.

“Some of my fondest memories are of my school family in each of the buildings.  I have felt so much love and support in both the happy and sad times of my life,” said Raffetto.

“I remember the kindergarten graduation plays at Lincoln School, great lunches at Warriors Mark, attempting to get 20 kindergarteners logged onto computers and seeing the excitement in a child’s eyes when they write their first story or read a book independently for the first time,” said Raffetto.

Raffetto will be dearly missed by her fellow kindergarten teachers.

“Karen is one of the best teachers I have ever known. She is so patient, kind, and understanding.  She was a recipient of the Exemplary Teacher Award.  As a friend, she is irreplaceable.  I will miss her so much,” said fellow Kindergarten teacher Linda Knarr.

Raffetto will miss her school family, her Kindergarten wing grade partners, and most of all the kids. She will miss setting up her classroom for the beginning of the year as well as seeing former students.  This year she has seven students that are children of former students.

What she will not miss, however, is the paperwork and waking up at 5:30 am every morning.

In retirement Raffetto plans to spend more time with her granddaughter, Malia, who was born last November. “I am excited to help care for her just as my own mom cared for my children. I’m loving being a grandma,”  said Raffetto.  She also hopes to do some traveling to Hawaii or Alaska.

Raffetto loves spending time with her family, taking walks in Reservoir Park and riding bikes on the Lower Trail.  She is also a Eucharistic Minister at St. Matthew Church and she hopes to have more time to volunteer there.  As her last year as a teacher comes to a close, she can only be positive about her experience at Tyrone.

“I am proud of the progress our district has made in early childhood education and I am still amazed at what a five year old child can learn.  Teaching in my hometown has been very special to me. We have a wonderful staff that wants the best for our students,” said Raffetto.