Liberty’s Pam Juretic has taught all across the country; from Nebraska to Missouri, Connecticut to Sammamish, Juretic has done everything. Twenty-five years ago, she finally ended up at Liberty, where she’s remained ever since.
“I chose Liberty looking for a home, and I’ve stayed here because of that,” Juretic says. “A lot of teachers “school-shop” because they don’t find the community that they want, and I most definitely found that here.”
Four decades after beginning her career in education, it’s the end of one of Liberty’s most beloved and longest-serving teachers’ careers.
“Ms. Juretic has been the bedrock of our resource department and a huge force in the way we serve all students, whether in general ed of special ed classes,” Principal Martin said when asked about the work that Juretic has done for Liberty. “She has been a very forceful voice in making sure every student is treated equally and provided the best possible education, no matter their background and is fiercely dedicated to their success.”
Throughout her time here, Juretic has worked with many different classes, but has spent a majority of her time with the special education classes.
“We are a school for everybody and we want to offer everybody in this school what they want and need,” Juretic says. “That’s why I value my work with the special education classes so much.”
Even though she has worked primarily with the special education students, Juretic has also influenced other teachers at Liberty.
“She’s very good at supporting other teachers as they work with her students,” English teacher Kris Daughters said. “She understands high-schoolers, and knows how to help them be successful and send them on their way to an enriching life.”
Juretic will always value her time at Liberty: “I’ve stayed here rather than moving to a different school since I like that Liberty is smaller. It has a close-knit community even as it gets larger, and the culture supports everything,” Juretic said.
Though Juretic is retiring and moving onto a new path in life, she will still remain in Liberty staff’s memories.
“She has helped so many kids to graduation for a long time. To be that effective and connect with students after 40 years is the sign of a truly effective teacher.” Daughters said.