Donna Tonubbee is a soft-spoken person, but the words she spoke as a school teacher have helped shape generations.
Monday, May 17, North Rock Creek celebrated Tonubbee’s retirement with a reception recognizing her 46 years as an elementary school teacher there.
At the reception, superintendent Blake Moody presented her with a commemorative clock.
“She never started any drama,” Moody said. “Humble, in the backroom, tutoring kids, taking care of kids, loving kids and, and never wanted to be out in the spotlight.”
Next, retired fourth grade teacher Regina McAfee read an original poem that she wrote about Tonubbee. Several other retired coworkers, and the elementary principal Denise Smith also shared a few words.
Tonubbee began teaching second grade at North Rock Creek back in 1974. At the time, the school was quite small, with only around 10 staff members. The school has since grown to around 145 staff members for next year.
“That was the first,” she said. “My very first teaching job, and then I did that all those years.”
She had previously studied at OSU and she quickly discovered that education was her passion.
“There’s just not anything better than coming to a job every day and having 25 little people that love you and think you’re wonderful,” Tonubbee said. “That’s just, I mean, that’s just the best thing ever. And it’s a privilege.”
She took a year off from teaching when her daughter was born and then came back to work as a third grade teacher at North Rock Creek for a year before returning to the second grade classroom.
“She is one of the best teachers I’ve ever encountered,” North Rock Creek elementary principal Denise Smith said. “Because she put her whole heart into what she did. She brought her best game every single day, and she has model character.”
Tonubbee’s impact on the North Rock Creek community can be seen in the number of former students who she is still in contact with.
“You get to see them grow up, you get to see them have their kids, which you know is just very special, I think it’s a very special thing to be there,” Tonubbee said. “I’m glad I got to stay there all these years.”
Some of her former students are now her colleagues, and she has taught many of her colleagues’ children, as well.
Jennifer Castaneda was one of Tonubbee’s students and is now the cafeteria manager at North Rock Creek.
“You never see her get mad,” Castaneda said. “And then she never had that, you know, ‘I don’t want to be here’ look or nothing. She was always positive. So, I think that’s her best quality as a teacher, and just a loving person.”
Second grade teacher Beth Vincent is also one of Tonubbee’s former students.
“I was in her second grade class, in the classroom that I’m teaching in, back in the ‘80s,” Vincent said.
She said Tonubbee often had a theme that she would build classroom activities around.
“She was just very good at what she did and it was, it was a lot of fun,” Vincent said. “She is my favorite teacher that I’ve ever had. So, she definitely made an impact on me.”
Vincent said she remembers her last day of taking second grade from Tonubbee.
“She started crying,” Vincent said, “and she hugged each and every one of us as we walked out the door, and just to know that she cared, I think is the biggest blessing that I took away from her.”
Tonubbee shifted from teaching second grade to teaching part time as a Title 1 math teacher around 2006—a role that she remained in until her retirement this year.