By Sam Adams
Geary County CVB
Longtime Milford Elementary School Principal Phyllis Boller recently visited with Sam Adams of the Geary County CVB. Boller, who will retire after the current school year, said she has been at that school 11 year.
Q: What do you enjoy most about this position? What brings you a smile when you come into work?
A: “The kiddos and the staff. That is what I’m going to miss as I retire. Seeing the smiles – we have little door greeters every morning, and so I get my first smile with whoever is [at the door]. Yeah, I’m just going to miss that.”
"With this community, I’ve made many friends, with staff, parents, community members, and that’s why it’s been very special. [The community] really is a team. We work together to do great things out here."
Q: What was your most memorable project?
A: “You know at the beginning of this school year, [when] everybody rallied together and how [we] were talking about possibly closing, and how everyone came together [to assist].”
“There have been other projects too. As a staff, the activities that we’ve done [such as the Solar Eclipse]. Just those big school-wide projects. PTO is really strong, and we’ve done numerous fall festivals"
Q: What led you to becoming a principal?
A: “Well, I started out as a teacher for fifth grade, [for nine years, and that led into working] at the Devin Center as an admin, doing a lot of reading professional development for teachers, and I worked with the Title One Program in our district for 12 years.
She took a moment to reflect on her past and began smiling, “Though I enjoyed my time educating educators, I really missed teaching kids. So, it was really nice to begin working at Milford Elementary School, and to be back in the role I knew I belonged. It has been a blessing to be here for my last [retirement]. And I’ve been with Geary County for 32 years; 38 in education.”
Q: For people wanting to become teachers, what advice would you give them?
A: “I tell you what, you have to have the relationship building with the community. [For instance], here [at Milford Elementary School] not only the kids in the building and your staff, but the whole community. We’re a smaller region [so, I know] brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, the mayor, and I know everybody!”
“If you don’t have those relationships, then it’s just going to be a job. You can like the math, you can like the teaching – but if you don’t have the parents behind you and do engaging things with the kids – then it won’t be engaging for you, as a teacher, either.”
Q: What is your process for creating, developing, and handling events?
A: “Hm... there’s the planning piece of the process – making sure that the event is educational, engaging, and fun. Otherwise, I involve everybody in it, not just myself. All events have to be a group decision.”
Q: What is your relationship with Geary County?
A: “Well, I was born here. I was raised here – went to Grandview Elementary, myself. And my family, my husband’s family, we’ve all been here forever and ever. I moved away during high school for a little while, and then I moved back – so technically, I’m a boomerang, as they say.”
Q: What would you say to people who are interested in visiting the county, but hear negative things?
A: “[Everything they hear] is totally wrong. They should come and explore. Milford Lake is beautiful, the community is very welcoming, and wherever you go, people are friendly. I love the diversity, because you don’t get that everywhere. I’m thankful that I get to meet people from so many places.”