Elmhurst teacher bids farewell to career after 30 years

When the preschool children in Georgia DeClark’s classroom said something interesting, adorable and/or funny, she would run to her classroom’s closet door, jot down the date, the child’s name and what they said.

At the end of each year, DeClark would type out the comments and share the “gems” with her students’ parents.

Over her many years of teaching, DeClark compiled about 13,000 gems, which made their way into a recently published book “Precious Gems The World Through the Eyes of Preschoolers.”

The book and DeClark’s 30 years of service to Elmhurst’s Bethel Learning Center, a play-based preschool for children ages 2 through 5, were celebrated last week at a gala attended by more than 140 community members.

Retiring this year, the longtime preschool teacher and administrator said money raised from the event will be used to update the school’s playground in addition to enhancing the school.

“It has been a privilege beyond measure that I have had this incredible career,” DeClark said.

DeClark knew she wanted to be a teacher since she was a third grader.

“I have always loved kids and being around kids,” she said, “Some may even say I am a big kid and I couldn’t disagree with that.”

DeClark taught first grade in Glen Ellyn until she had her own family.

After taking time to be home with her children, DeClark was first asked to join the board of Bethel Learning Center.

At that time, one of the teachers became ill and DeClark was asked to fill in thinking it would be a short-term commitment and “here I am 30 years later.”

While at the preschool, DeClark worked in the classroom for many years and for a time she served as the school’s director of student and family resources.

In that role, Declark said she was able to help the parents of children who were developing differently from what is considered developmentally appropriate to determine the best options in terms of resources and interventions.

The position is one that many preschools do not have but can be very important, she said.

“We come to the behaviors of children with a perspective of curiosity and what may be behind that,” DeClark said.

In 2023, DeClark stepped into the role of executive director of the preschool.

She said the school has had a number of children of her former students, something that makes her “honored, humbled and old.”

“In this school year alone, we have three families whose parents were in my preschool class,” DeClark said.

As more former students returned to the school for their own children’s early education, DeClark pondered if it was “a sign from the universe” to move on.

In her retirement, DeClark is looking forward to spending time with her grandchildren, traveling and volunteering in the community.

DeClark also is a certified parent coach – something she will continue to do.

Sometimes, she said, parents need a reminder to change the way they look at things with regard to their children and their relationship with their children.

“It is about the connection,” she said.

Parenting is an important job “and [one] for which we are the least trained, but somehow we are supposed to know.”

DeClark always will be an advocate for play learning through play.

“In this culture of success-driven focus, the gifts we can give our children is to really help them to feel known,” she said.

DeClark said one of her mentors shared that a child needs to know they are adored just because of their existence and not because of achievements, behavior or physical appearance.

More information about DeClark’s book can be found at www.blcelmhurst.org/blc-gala.