A Dallas ISD teacher who came back to the classroom to help fill teacher shortages is helping her students excel.
Students in Frankie Weathers' fifth-grade class have some big shoes to fill.
"I hate to brag or be boastful, but I did have the highest scores in the building," said Weathers, who teaches fifth-grade reading and social studies at Edna Rowe Elementary in the Dallas ISD.
Her class was the only class in the entire school with 100% STAAR growth achievement last year, her first year back at the head of the classroom.
"Like I told my kids, 'I came off the bench for you guys,'" Weathers said. "I was at home eating bonbons!"
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Weathers took early retirement from Garland ISD in 2020. It didn't stick.
"I would watch the news and they would say, 'teacher shortage, teacher shortage,'" Weathers said. "I was like, I could go back and teach!"
This is her second year back in the classroom in the same district, Dallas ISD, where she started in 1989.
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"I just came back home," Weathers said. "Retired teachers, we know how to weather the storm. We weathered 30 years of budget changes, TRS changes, staffing, COVID. Like, we just get it done!"
Last year, Weathers was given her school's "Night Owl" award.
"Because I'm the last one to leave the building," Weathers said. She stays late to plan for the next school day.
Weathers believes God called her back to the classroom.
"Really, He makes sure those students are successful. I'm just the vessel," Weathers said. "I'll retire when the Lord lets me know, 'hey you have done everything I needed you to do, you can rest.'"
