You are always hearing or reading about a “teacher-gone-bad.” That’s what sells papers and makes the news.

I’m here to honor a person who taught for 34 years with the Northshore School District, Peggy Peterson Van Berkem.

Peggy has spent a lifetime in Northshore. The kindergarten class she attended was among the first to open at Arrowhead Elementary. She later entered Kenmore Junior High for 7th grade, but took a year out to attend 8th grade at Schweinford American School in Germany, where she was selected to give the honor roll speech.

It was back to Kenmore Junior High after that, followed by graduation from Inglemoor High School in 1970.

After graduating from the University of Washington, she was hired by the Northshore School District.

Many weekends, Peggy was too busy to go to lunch with friends or family. She was busy correcting papers, filling out report cards, working on the school play, or doing one of the other side jobs teachers have to do on nights or weekends.

Peggy loves teaching and all the little people she has had through the years. Many have stopped by to see her and thank her. Some want to show off their own little ones.

Peggy taught for 14 years at the Wooden Annex school and Wooden Elementary, and now she is retiring from Bear Creek Elementary, where she has been teaching for 20 of her 34 years in the district.

The Northshore School District should be proud of teachers like Peggy. As her mother, I know I am.