Dooley to retire after 38 years at PIE
Rhonda Dooley was hired at the Pine Island Elementary (PIE) School as a part-time cafeteria monitor in 1988. After 38 years of faithful service, she is set to retire on Oct. 30.
She explained PIE has taken not only a great deal of her time and attention, it has been a big part of her heart as well, as she has loved every minute of her time at the school.
“I would come in the afternoons and work from 12 (p.m.) until 3 (p.m.) for the cafeteria shift. I’ve barely been in the cafeteria ever since — that’s only part of my duties,” Dooley said, adding that being part of a small school means she has gotten to wear many hats and held many positions, including support personnel.
She is very interested in people knowing what is going on with PIE students as they are the future.
Her husband, Mike Dooley, first attended PIE in 1961. She explained before the school was built, they bussed students from Pine Island to J. Collin English in North Fort Myers. Dooley’s son, daughter and grandchildren have since joined their father and grandfather as PIE alumni.
“My son in the ’80s, my daughter in the ’90s and my grandkids in the 2000s,” she said.
After serving two generations of PIE students in various roles, Dooley has heard and felt the results of being able to influence so many firsthand. She said there have been times when she has had the privilege of teaching the children of parents that she has also served on the job.
“I cherish the time and memories because it doesn’t always happen that way, when you get to watch them grow up and then they come back and you get see them in high school or college,” Dooley said.
In all her years at PIE, she recalled her favorite memory was just a few years ago, when a former student came back all grown up. She said she was amazed that he remembered her, but even more so by what he had taken away from his time with her at the school.
“He told me, ‘Of course I remember you.’ He squeezed my hand and looked me in the eyes and said, ‘I’ll never forget you. You helped me learn to read,'” Dooley said.
In that moment, she realized what a difference she had made.
Although Dooley did not attend PIE, she has spent more than half of her life there and describes it as home. Resolute on coming back to volunteer, she said it is likely to be kindergarten as one of her favorite things is “Show and Tell” on Fridays or listening to the little ones talk about losing their teeth.
She said something she will not miss is the clock.
“Your schedule is every hour on the hour. You’re doing something, you’re meeting all those needs — teachers’ needs, kids’ needs — you’re pulled in a lot of different directions,” Dooley said, adding that although she has loved every minute of PIE, she wonders what life will be like without running on high-speed.
The very first Monday after retirement, she plans to go to the beach to watch the sunrise. In fact, she said, she will make time for beach sunrises and sunsets as often as she can now.
“Besides volunteering, I’m going to spend a lot of time at the beach,” Dooley said.
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