By Andrea Arnold
After working at the McBride Secondary School officially for 30 years, custodian, supervisor and all around staff/student support, Irene Rejman has retired.
Unofficially, Rejman actually started working in a school more than 30 years ago.
“My dad and mom both worked in schools,” said Rejman. “My dad drove the school bus in the late 1950s and the early 60s and worked as the janitor in the old elementary school.”
In 1963 her mom started helping him in elementary before moving into a job at the high school.
Only three years later, in 1966, Rejman’s dad became ill with cancer and passed away. Her mom took over his job and continued to work for another 27 years.
“I used to help her after school once in a while,” she said.
In 1984, Rejman began a decade of casual employment with the school board. In 1994, she added supervision to her job description. The job was a 45-minute shift supervising students inside the school as well as outside, including the smoker’s pits.
The custodian job was advertised and Rejman decided “Why not?” Her application was successful and she has served the high school in that role for 30 years.
As is expected in a small town and small school, Rejman performed a variety of extra duties within the school. She was a driving force behind graduation ceremonies, helped with the yearbooks, supervised and set up dances and participated in any fundraising events that came through the school.
“I enjoyed being a part of anywhere I was needed,” she said. “I wore many hats.”
Rejman says that her favourite part of the job was seeing kids come into the building as young Grade 8 students and watching them along their journey to Grade 12.
“I loved being able to do grad with them,” she said.
Another aspect of the job that Rejman cherishes was the opportunity to be a part of students’ lives, then, years later, the lives of their children as well.
“I will miss the colleagues, staff and students of McBride Secondary School,” she said.
During this new phase of her life Rejman plans to spend more quality time with family and friends.
