The Manchester Enterprise
A Heritage Newspaper
Weekly Publication
Weiland steps down after 24 years
Longtime educator has directed 43 plays during her tenure
By Alana West, Special Writer
PUBLISHED: May 10, 2007
June Weiland has directed 43 plays during her years as a high school English teacher, 33 of them within the Manchester district. As she adds them up, her eyes sparkle with interest.
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Weiland hasn't summed them up before, but she remembers how many she has done per year since her teaching career began 24 years ago.
"Yes, 43 plays," she said, nodding matter-of-factly.
Weiland was in the middle of directing the spring play, three one-acts this year, when the subject of retirement came up. She had thought it was still a couple years down the road, but, when the district offered a buy-out package to teachers who had at least 20 years of teaching, she had to consider it. It took her two weeks to come to the conclusion that the time was now.
Weiland said she is a bit thrilled by the unexpectedness of it.
"Kind of like, 'Ooh, cool, I'm on to the next thing," she said.
The longtime educator said she believes change is positive, especially since she has been assured that her finances are in order.
"Teaching was my life for so many years," she said.
Weiland has been in education for 24 years, teaching every grade except eighth. She said she will most miss freshman English class because she has a chance to introduce many different topics to the students.
Weiland said she is not sad about leaving because she hopes she still will be able to come back to renew old ties.
"I hope they will continue to invite me to the (faculty) parties," she said. "We talked about lunching here once in awhile. I want to keep in touch."
Weiland said she will miss a lot of people in the district.
"I've had some wonderful colleagues and students who have made a difference for me. The people we work with make a difference in us, too," she said.
Weiland is looking forward to her first grandchild in July to her son, Doug, and daughter-in-law, Melissa. Doug works in Internet advertising for General Motors Corp. in Detroit.
"I've been collecting books for years. I'm ready. I just need a grandchild to use them," she said.
"I'm looking forward to being able to bond with the little one."
Weiland also has a daughter, Amy, who works for a professional writing company that specializes in legal resumes in Pasadena, Calif.
While she is looking forward to spending more time with her family, she said it has not sunk in yet that she will be retiring.
"Some days, I finish a day, and say, 'This is the last April I will be teaching,'" she said. "My son thinks I will have a hard time; I am too emotional."
Before coming to Manchester, Weiland taught at Plainfield High School, Boone Grove High School and Valparaiso High School, all in Indiana. She has a bachelor's degree in speech, theater and English from Indiana University; and a master's degree from Indiana University.
After she retires, Weiland plans to look for a part-time job, but she is not thinking about that yet. Drama continues to draw her interest, as she prepares to help produce a summer musical, "The Sound of Music," in Chelsea this year.
Of the 33 plays she has directed in Manchester, she only has directed one musical twice, "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown," in 1999 and 2006, and one play that she always has wanted to direct at the high school, "Once Upon A Mattress," based on the fairy tale, "The Princess and the Pea."
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