Mrs. Kathleen Buchanan, a long term substitute teacher for Bellefonte High School, is an important figure in the school district. Her humorous demeanor and hard work shines through the lives of her fellow teachers and students.
She first started teaching during the year 1998 in Liverpool, New York. She taught there until she took a break to raise her three children. Her children later graduated from here at Bellefonte, where Mrs. Buchanan began substitute teaching again.
During the first few months of the 2023-2024 school year, she taught in place of Mrs. Jessica Lloyd, who was out on maternity leave. Up until early December, she subbed for both the English 12 classes as well as the Journalism class.
Mrs. Lloyd appreciates her for being a good listener, as well as for her advice and sense of humor. Mrs. Lloyd also trusted that when Mrs. Buchanan was teaching, her class was in good hands.
“I’ve always asked her to sub for me before this year, so having her in for my maternity leave gave me peace of mind knowing that she would be able to handle everything,” Mrs. Lloyd said.
Mrs. Buchanan is currently teaching learning support as well as a Developmental Reading Class. She has also subbed for a few ninth grade English classes. In April, she will switch to teaching English 9 classes for the rest of the school year.
While she has a degree in English, Mrs. Buchanan’s favorite long term teaching job was working with fourth and fifth graders at Pleasant Gap, where she taught learning support.
“Seeing the lightbulb go off in their heads when they grasp a new concept is always rewarding,” she said.
Senior Julia Huntsinger is student in Senior Institute which Mrs. Buchanan is an advisor for, as well as substituted for. She says Mrs. Buchanan greets her positively everyday with a smile. Julia believes that she cares about her students and their growth as Seniors.
“She was genuine and knew how to communicate with us in a way that garnered our respect for her. Overall, she is a super special sub!” Julia said.
Mrs. Buchanan says her students have left a great impact on her, especially when they stop to talk to her outside of class hours.
“When a student stops by to share something important about what’s going on in their life, or even their day, it makes me feel good knowing I’ve made a connection,” Mrs. Buchanan said.
Her time here also recalls memories of past school experiences.
“I also love seeing myself or my own kids in different students. Seeing similarities reminds me of the time I was in school, or my kids were in school, and those memories are good for my soul,” she said.
Mrs. Buchanan has no doubt affected the lives of not only her students, but the teachers as well. Mrs. Lloyd also believes that Mrs. Buchanan has even gone above and beyond her role as a teacher.
“In fact, when I returned, my classroom seemed to look a little more organized, and run a little smoother compared to what it would have been if I had been there,” Mrs. Lloyd said.
