Monsters, Owls and Whales, Oh My!

WAITSBURG – On June 1, Margie Douglas and her fourth grade class made a special trip to deliver Monster Cookies to Waitsburg's graduating seniors. "Their eyes lit up at the sight of them," said Douglas.

And at Douglas' retirement party on June 10, guests were handed Monster Cookies from cloth-covered baskets.

So what's with the cookies? It's not simply that they taste amazing (which they do!). In Waitsburg, Monster Cookies, 4th grade and Mrs. Douglas all go hand-in-hand.

The cookies, which Douglas uses to reward her learners, are a symbol of the encouragement, success and love intrinsic in her 42-year teaching career in the Waitsburg School District, a career that came to an end last week.

Douglas grew up in College Place, graduated from DeSales High School and attended WWCC before transferring to Eastern Washington University, where she received her teaching degree in the spring of 1972. She student-taught at Kennewick High School and accepted her first teaching contract at Waitsburg in the fall of 1973, where she was hired to teach physical education in grades 1-12.

Douglas said her father, who had an eighth-grade education, struggled with her desire for a career.

"In an Italian farm community, the girl gets married and has a family. I wanted something different and I enjoyed working with kids," said Douglas, who was the first in her family to earn a college degree. "My Aunt Mae and Aunt Lena came to my graduation, and they were ecstatic. It (college) was an opportunity they never got, and their support meant a lot to me."

Douglas fondly recalls the three-hour interview with Gerry Maib, Glynn Davis and Ed Larsen, the Waitsburg school board that eventually hired her. At Douglas' retirement celebration, Davis said that they all knew Douglas (Ms. Fancuillo at the time) was the right person for the job, but they were faced with a major dilemma.

"We had a real problem with her former high school colors of green and white. But we made the right decision, anyway," he said, laughing.

Over the years, Douglas taught physical education, junior high language arts and coached gymnastics, track, basketball and volleyball. She has taught fourth grade since 1981.

In a recent visit, Washington State School Superintendent Randy Dorn told Douglas' class that he was not aware of any other teacher in the state who had taught in the same district for 42 years.

Douglas said she was drawn to teaching because she enjoyed working with young people and wanted to make a difference in their lives. Teaching PE gave her an opportunity to work with all different ages and that she quickly realized she had a special affinity for the younger kids.

"They're very open and giving. And you don't have to impress them much," she said.

Douglas feels strongly that education should be as hands-on as possible and is known for memorable projects and units that each year's new crop of fourth graders eagerly anticipates.

Douglas creates units, such as her Birds of Prey study, that integrate several subjects as well as technology. Dissecting owl pellets is a favorite science activity for students each year.

Douglas' ocean unit is equally popular. This reporter's oldest child, Brad Huffman, who was in Mrs. Douglas' class in 1997, was torn between attending the birth of his sibling or missing Whale Day at school. Ultimately Whale Day won out – a choice that earns him occasional ribbing to this day.

Douglas' desire for her students' success reaches well beyond academics. "I want all my kids to be successful in life, and it gets kind of hard with so many challenges," she said.

Douglas says she has seen a big change in the family unit over the last few years, with families so busy they rarely sit down for a meal together.

One of her students lost her mother in a car accident this year.

"I try to talk to them like young adults," she said. Douglas' own mother was recently hospitalized and she used that as a learning opportunity to model to her students how to deal with difficulties.

"I talk to them honestly. I try to teach them how to deal with everyday occurrences and how to work through them. It's doable if you take it in a small-step approach."

Douglas married Dee Douglas, a computer programmer with the Corp of Engineers, in 1988. Douglas' kids quickly became "their" kids.

"We never had kids so when people asked how many we had, we would tell them the number of students I had in my classroom that year," she said.

The smart board in her classroom and one of the projectors was actually an anniversary gift between the couple. "We were trying to figure out what to give each other and decided the best gift we could give was one to the children," said Douglas.

Dee, who passed away from cancer in 2009, loved to volunteer in Douglas' classroom.

The couple taught community computer classes, started a recycling program at the elementary school and made sports programs and buttons that were sold at high school games. The funds from these projects were used to purchase computers for the 26-machine computer lab in the elementary building.

In 2005 Douglas won a $10,000 Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Leadership Project Grant which she used to purchase a projector and seven networked computers.

"Through that grant I learned how to integrate technology in the classroom. It makes learning come alive and they enjoy stepping away from the book," she said. "They're inquisitive enough that once they get on the computer it opens a whole new world to them, whether they're reading at a second-grade level or a ninth-grade level."

Douglas is not just a favorite among students, but staff as well.

"Margie and I worked together for 30 years and had a great time," said fellow retiree Sandy McCaw. "She worked hard to make sure we had a computer lab and that we all received the training necessary to teach computer science."

"Margie was here when I came to this district in 1983," said first- grade teacher Dinah Lindsey. "My fondest memories are watching the excitement of students when Margie would put on her yearly chess and checkers tournament. You would always see kids in Margie's room before school getting extra help, or just visiting."

At her retirement party, Douglas told her co-workers that she was amazed at the many comments she had received on social media, like this post from Travis Larsen on Facebook: "Ms. Fancuillo (Mrs. Douglas) is a truly incredible teacher and an even better person. She sets the bar for excellence in teaching and the lessons I learned in her class still make a positive impact on my life to this day. Thank you for investing your heart and soul into each and every one of your students. I hope you know how much we all appreciate you."

"You never know how many people's lives you will touch," said Douglas, in her retirement farewell. "No matter what your role – bus driver, teacher, janitor – we have an impact on these kids. When they want to come to school to see what's going to happen that day, it's a big deal. We are touching lives."

Douglas lives with her mother in College Place and says she looks forward to the two of them spending time together. "She just retired last year, at age 90!" Douglas said.

A seasoned traveler, Douglas is planning more trips to Europe and hopes to visit Italy in the coming year, where she will explore her family's heritage.

And while she will be missed, Douglas' contributions to the Waitsburg School District will most certainly be long remembered. As will Monster Cookies.

In a recent post on Facebook, former student Shannon (Wyatt) Schreindl of College Place wrote, "I made Monster Cookies for my students just today because of the influence she (Mrs. Douglas) had on me in fourth grade." Lives touched, touching new lives.

Monster Cookies

½ pound of butter or margarine

1 pound brown sugar

1 pound M & M plain

2 cups of sugar

1 pound chocolate chips

6 large eggs

1½ pounds peanut butter

½ Tbsp. vanilla

9 cups quick Quaker Oats

Preheat oven to 350º. Cream butter and sugars. Add eggs, peanut butter and mix well. Add remaining ingredients. Use ice cream scoop for measurer (½ cup). Press down center. Bake 12-14 minutes at 350º. Put five cookies per sheet. Makes between 25-27 cookies. Enjoy!