By Hayleigh Gowans

Staff Writer

After more than 30 years teaching physical education in the Fayetteville-Manlius district, Laurie Valentine is ready to retire, but said it is not an easy decision to leave “the best elementary school in all of the United States and most of Canada,” as she describes Fayetteville Elementary.

Valentine started her career in physical education teaching at Wellwood Middle School in 1986 and over the next few years spent time between Wellwood and Enders Road Elementary. When her father Henry Butler, the 31-year physical education teacher at Fayetteville Elementary (Fay-El), decided to retire in 1989, Valentine chose to follow in his footsteps and began teaching there herself and has been there since.

“Both of my parents were teachers, and it was always something I wanted to do,” said Valentine. “I had considered being a math teacher because I love math, but I found that physical education was really my niche.”

Many people would say she found her niche after spending more than 30 years teaching physical education to generations of F-M students. Though a large part of her day is teaching children how to be healthy and active, Valentine said she also seeks to teach students social skills and character development.

One of the best parts about being a special area teacher, Valentine said, is that she gets to work with all of the students and gets to see them progress and grow over their years in elementary school. As to why she decided to stay at Fay-El for the majority of her professional career, Valentine said it’s the staff, students and families that make the school a welcoming place to work.

“There’s some sort of special ambiance here that makes you feel welcome. We’re all like a family that really cares about each other,” said Valentine. “And once you’re part of the Fay-El family, you’re in it for life.”

During her career, Valentine was instrumental in organizing and encouraging families in the school to participate in the Syracuse Festival of Races 3K Fun Run each fall. For the past 16 years, Fay-El has received the overall Festival Cup trophy for having the most participants represent their school.

On June 9, the students and staff at Fay-El celebrated the career of Valentine by holding a “Festival of the Valentine” event, which included a parade, a 2K fun run, food trucks and other family-friendly activities.

Though Valentine will leave her long-time position at the end of this school year, she said won’t be a stranger to the building as she has offered to substitute teach for gym classes at Fay-El. In her retirement, she also hopes to get back into her fitness routine, volunteer for Clear Path for Veterans, ARISE and to get back into horse riding. Her husband, Bob Valentine, in his retirement has also turned to the F-M district and currently works as a substitute bus driver.

Valentine said she will miss working at Fayetteville-Elementary, and wishes luck to her work partner, fellow Fay-El physical education teacher Matt Murphy, and to her successor Lorinda Huntington, who currently works as a physical education teacher at Enders Road Elementary.

“When the beginning of September rolls around, I’ll be happy to stay home and enjoy my retirement,” said Valentine. “But I know I’ll miss everyone here … I want to say thank you to all of the families that have allowed me to be part of their child’s education, and to all of my colleagues.”

In all, Valentine said she hopes to have made a positive impact on the school, and will remember all of the students, friends and families she has met through her time at Fay-El.

“My motto here is ‘Work hard and be nice.’ It’s really that simple. No matter who you are or what you do, those words ring true in every situation,” said Valentine. “If I have instilled that in even one student, then my work here has been worthwhile.”