Lea Sorenson turns page to ‘new chapter’ after retiring as library aide in School District #1

Lea Sorenson’s 20-year career as a library paraprofessional in Big Horn County School District No. 1 speaks volumes.The Lovell resident, who retired in May, feels that she’s “started the next chapter” of her life and is enthusiastic about it. Sorenson especially noted that she will miss “the phenomenal teachers” at Rocky Mountain High School/Middle School and “even-keeled” Principal Tim Winland, but “especially the kids themselves.” She describes them as outstanding people with great intelligence and a willingness to learn, adding that “watching their progress” as they accept responsibilities and grow into adulthood is spectacular.[caption id="attachment_10167" align="alignright" width="235"] Lea Sorenson[/caption]Besides her work as library aide at the high school she served as the student council adviser. “Rocky Mountain High is a great place to end my career,” she said. She especially emphasized that a highlight of her time in education is that, “The class that graduated this year” is one with which she was involved “for all but three of the 13 years they were in school, so it was just a great place to finish.” She began working for the district as a paraprofessional in the special ed room at the former Frannie-Deaver Elementary School and then was hired as the library paraprofessional for the three elementary schools then in the district. She went to Rocky Mountain High seven years ago.Sorenson, who is from Red Lodge, and her husband, David, a building contractor whose family has SE Inc. in Deaver, raised their four children in Deaver, moving there from Red Lodge when the three oldest were in school and the youngest was 1 year old. Then some three years ago the couple relocated to Lovell. Recalling her entry into library work two decades ago she said, “Books have always been a love of mine and because I had the time I decided to get a job,” first substituting as a teacher in Deaver. At RMHS/MS she enjoyed “little kids because they think you walk on water,” but she also thoroughly enjoyed the older students even though “they want you to sink in the water,” she said jokingly.She stated that she has always been a passionate reader who enjoys non-fiction, but biographies, as well. However, she explained, “I read all genres and, of course, in my work I read and reviewed a lot of children and young adult literature.” This is her first summer in 20 years, she said, that she is not searching for books for her students for the coming school year. She added that among her joys was talking about books with the pupils. The couple’s four offspring are all avid readers, she said, and in fact their son, Lucas, a banker in Denver, works part time at the famous Denver area book store, the Tattered Cover.Their youngest, Caitlyn, is a senior at the University of Wyoming and plans to become a teacher. Their twins are Heather, who earned a humanities degree with an emphasis in outdoor education at UW and is working in Lander, and Haley, who works at North Big Horn Hospital in Lovell and is continuing her education to earn a degree in health education through MSU Billings.“The Rocky Mountain staff is part of my family,” said Sorenson, “and I miss them terribly. They are wonderful.” For 15 years during her time in the stacks she worked with John Bernhisel and said that he “is absolutely one of my favorite people.” As well, she stated that he “will do a great job” taking over her duties now that she’s retired.Sorenson will be a busy retiree, as she plans to continue her reading avocation plus growing flowers (“my husband gardens for food”) and she “loves to cook plus work on stained glass projects.” She also plans to keep busy with family, as her husband David’s are in Deaver and hers all live relatively nearby. There are sisters in nearby Warren and Great Falls, Idaho, a brother in Billings and her mother, a retired judge in Joliet, Mont.Regarding her “school family,” she said, “I will miss them all, but look forward to the holiday visits when some come to our house. It’ll be different now, but in retirement I’m looking foward to my next adventure.”BY BOB RODRIGUEZ