Grade 3 teacher Jeanette Michel retires

Jeanette Michel will never get too far away from St. Paul School, but she is retiring at the end of this school year to spend more time with her grandchildren.

As a devoted teacher at St. Paul for 22 years, she explains that teaching is a demanding occupation that requires about 12 hours a day of your time if you are doing a good job.

Her husband, Jim, retired a couple of years ago and she is ready now to get some time of her own.

“I just want to stay home and be with my grandchildren,” she said.

Because they live on Palmetto Ave. on the north side of the school, she will still maintain the closeness she has found at St. Paul.

“It’s like such a big family,” she said. “That’s what I like the best.”

Jeanette and Jim will be making a fast getaway in July when they go to his niece’s home in Boston for a family reunion.

Besides teaching, one of Mrs. Michel’s loves is dogs. For the past two years, she and second grade teacher Mary Means have coordinated a “Pennies for Pets” project with young students at St. .Paul which raised $618 this year for a program called .
“Paws and Prayers which rescues, cares for, and finds loving homes for homeless cats and dogs.

The Michels’ dog Maddie, a Great Pyrenees mix, will be tested this year to be a Doggie Brigade dog at Children’s Hospital. Dogs visit young hospitalized patients. . As the oldest chapter in the country, Children's Doggie Brigade is organized and run by a group of dedicated volunteers and coordinated through child life specialists.

Jeanette and Jim were both born in Akron and were married August 5, 1972 at St. Paul’s. They met at the University of Akron when both were student’s there. Jim had just gotten out of the Army.

Mrs. Michel, daughter of Thelma and Paul White, attended Lincoln Elementary School, Thornton Junior High and was graduated from Garfield High in 1969. She received a bachelor of education degree from the University of Akron in 1973 with a dual major in special education and early elementary education.

She took instruction at the campus Newman Center to become a Catholic. She and Jim first lived in an apartment in Kenmore and then her mother became ill and they moved in with her on Miller Avenue to care for her. Their first house was in Goodyear Heights
and then 30 years ago they moved into their present home on Palmetto.

There were not many teacher openings at the time, so Mrs. Michel worked for a while as a cashier at Fazio’s market in Tallmadge.

Mrs. Michel got involved in St. Paul when her children started to school. She was co-chair of the PTO in the1980s. She started teaching half-day kindergarten in 1986 at the urging of principal Teresa Bica.. The next year kindergarten classes went to full day and Mrs. Michel continued as a kindergarten teacher for 18 years. She has been teaching third grade for three years.

Jim retired in 2006 as a technical specialist for Goodyear, They have four children.

Son Gabriel and wife Jenn have children Libby, 21 months, and Kara scheduled to be born today.

Son Nate and wife Jen have children, Ethan, 7, Kamryn, 6 and Lilly 7 months.

Daughter Janis is single.

Son Seth and wife Dana have a baby, Sophia, a month old.

This article and photo also appear on the parish website.