Schools

Bowling to Retire After 40 Years with VVSD

R.C. Hill's longtime leader will work her last day with the district June 30.

Paula Bowling’s life will slow down considerably on July 1.

“It’ll be very weird,” the retiring Principal admitted. “I’m going to have to find something to do.”

Bowling has worked mostly in the same building for 40 years, launching her career on July 5, 1971, as a physical education teacher at what then was known as Park View Elementary School.

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It wasn’t exactly the position she wanted, having completed a bachelor’s degree from Monmouth College in history education. At the time, however, a job was a job.

“As long as I can remember, I wanted to be a teacher. I never wanted to do anything else but teach,” she recalled. “I thought I wanted to teach high school because I love history.”

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So teach she did. But it wasn’t high school. And it wasn’t history.

Her PE stint lasted a few months. “I had no idea what to do," Bowling admitted.

Then she substituted for another couple of months before her patience paid off and a first-grade teaching position (40 kids!) opened up.

A year later, she moved to the intermediate grades, where one of her classes led the successful 1978 effort to change the school’s name to R.C. Hill in memory of a beloved longtime staff member.

After teaching a gifted class, Bowling tried her hand at a district-level position, initially as the elementary gifted coordinator and later as gifted and math curriculum coordinator. But that didn’t last long, with the call to be assistant principal at R.C. Hill coming in 1983.

“I didn’t know if wanted to be an administrator,” she said. “I was nervous but I was also excited.”

Nineteen years later, in 2002, the opportunity to become Hill’s principal presented itself.

“It seemed like a natural fit. But I also thought if I didn’t like it I could just retire," Bowling said.

But retirement was still a long way off — until now.

“I enjoy the administration part of it, although I won’t miss the paperwork.,” she said. “And I will miss the kids. I really love those little kids. They’re so much fun.”

Asked about the difference between teaching elementary school today and elementary school 40 years ago, Bowling was quick to respond:

“Teachers have to know a lot more today than they did then. Reading 'Dick and Jane' is a lot different than figuring out guided reading levels and juggling six reading groups.

“It wasn’t rocket science then. It is rocket science now. You really have to know a lot and be really dedicated to kids.”

Her advice to teachers just starting out their careers is simple:

“Make sure you have a really strong relationship with the students and the parents. It’s essential the kids like you and the parents support you. You can’t get anything done if you don’t have positive relationships and good communication.”

Bowling isn’t exactly certain what she’ll do once she retires. She’ll spend time at her vacation home in Arizona and she has some summer travel plans.

“One thing I always hated was having to go on vacation when everyone else does," she said, adding she hopes to renew her love of golf.

“Plus I love to read. I’ve got stacks of books I haven’t read,” she added.

“One of my friends asked me what I’m going to do since I’m used to doing 20 things at once. But really, I think I am ready to retire.”


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