With hundreds of students once again filling Waterloo schools, a familiar face for many of them will be absent this year as a longtime substitute teacher and paraprofessional celebrated the end of her education career this summer.

Alecia Poetker was born in the small community of New Haven in Southeast Illinois, though she later moved to Harrisburg.

After graduating from Harrisburg High School, she stayed in the community as she attended Southeastern Illinois College, receiving an associate’s degree.

Poetker later received a bachelor’s degree in business from Southern Illinois University Carbondale and a master’s degree in education administration from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

Her education career began just before she wrapped up her student teaching. She got in touch with Gibault Catholic High School’s Fr. Edwin Hustedde, who hired her to teach business classes.

While Gibault served as the stage for Poetker’s first teaching stint, Hustedde also brought her on to coach several girls sports as well as assist with boys soccer.

Poetker spoke to her general love for athletics, further recalling how – Gibault lacking a gym at the time – she had to borrow space from other schools in the area for her students to practice.

“I have always loved sports. I still do,” Poetker said. “I started out in my schools in Harrisburg. Played for several teams down south and also played for several teams up here in Waterloo.”

Starting at Gibault at 21, Poetker later found herself working at the Regional Office of Education. It was here that she took an interest in the administrative side of education and pushed to achieve her master’s degree.

“I’ve sort of reinvented myself quite often,” Poetker said. “Married my husband and kind of decided that I would like to try administration, which I loved.”

She stayed in the world of Catholic education for a time, serving as principal of three Catholic schools: St. Elizabeth in Granite City, St. Agatha in New Athens and St. Mary in Chester.

Poetker also spoke about owning and operating three businesses with her family over the years, including a mowing company and a motel.

Her true passion, however, was always education, and she had a particular interest in public education.
Having worked with current Regional Superintendent of Schools Kelton Davis during her time with the ROE, she was asked about the possibility of serving as a substitute teacher.

“I kind of liked to have two careers, if you will,” Poetker said. “Education’s always been my true love, always was, and my family knew that. So I decided to be a substitute in the district of Waterloo.”

Poetker spent 15 years as a sub in Waterloo, serving at every grade level and getting to know a tremendous number of students.

“I actually substituted in all buildings, literally, pre-k through high school, so I knew just about all the students at one time or another as they grew up,” Poetker said.

During her last four years in the district, Poetker served as a paraprofessional at Waterloo High School, spending her time in some of the general education classrooms but also offering a hand for those students with different learning needs.

She also mentioned helping out with the school’s volleyball and softball teams this past year.

“I loved all students,” Poetker said. “I’ve seen them come up through the elementary and junior high school, and all of a sudden they would come to the high school, and there I was. I was like a grandma.”

Her education career now wrapped up, Poetker looked back on her time teaching quite fondly.

She said her interest in education didn’t come from any history of teaching in the family but was instead sparked by an appreciation and respect for the teachers and mentors she’s had throughout her life.

Poetker expressed a great love for all her students, recalling how she tried to make clear to them that she was serious but still knew how to laugh and have fun.

With 47 years in education, she said she loved just about everything about the job, but certain aspects were more enjoyable than others and she needed to be plenty adaptable.

She spoke about the difficulties of teaching as the COVID-19 pandemic began, particularly recalling how odd it was for the high school to be totally empty and silent.

Poetker noted her distaste for remote learning via Zoom and her strong preference for in-person teaching.

She’s had to get used to working with computers more and more over the years – she expressed her thanks to students for their assistance.

With this experience, she offered a general point of advice which she also often urged of her students.

“I’ve always said to students, ‘Try to learn something new every day. And learn as much as you can,’” Poetker said.

A number of Poetker’s colleagues and friends over the years offered praise for her work.

Waterloo Junior High School paraprofessional Debra Eichholz spoke about the energy Poetker brought to the job as well as the strong relationships she built with students.

“She just gave herself fully for the kids,” Eichholz said. “She’s always good friends with the kids, and she’s loyal to them. She’s smart about stuff, and she just does what needs to be done. She always seems like she’s on top of it.”

WHS teacher Kristen Goeddel said Poetker has dedicated her life to helping people and also commended the energy she was able to bring out in the students she worked with.

“She is always there to help wherever she’s needed and always went above and beyond her job,” Goeddel said. “All the students always would get so excited to see her, and she always went the extra mile to make sure they all felt loved and understood the content that they were trying to learn.”

WHS teacher Allison Tutor also emphasized Poetker’s relationship with students, further noting how fun and generally pleasant she was to work with.

“She was very warm and friendly with the kids, and they very much appreciated and loved her,” Tutor said. “She had a great rapport with them, and I was always impressed by how easy her rapport was with the kids. She was always willing to offer advice and add to the conversation, and the kids really appreciated that.”

Cheryl Gross worked alongside Poetker while she served as principal at St. Mary’s. On top of offering plenty of insight into Poetker’s education background, Gross offered immense praise for Poetker as a friend and colleague.

“Alecia is a very accomplished person,” Gross said. “She continues, I think, to be that type of individual who really cares for people and really offers herself for other people’s good and other people’s benefit… We’ve been friends for many years, and I have appreciated her friendship, I’ve appreciated working with her as a colleague.”

After almost 50 years in education, Poetker was positive about her experience – though she also expressed an eagerness for retirement.

She still keeps herself busy – she joked about folks knowing her family as “workaholics” – and she also plans to stay active with a little pickleball.

Poetker is also still keeping in touch with friends in the Waterloo school district, though her biggest interest right now is spending time with family, including her grandchildren.

“I loved education, and it was not easy to give that up, trust me,” Poetker said. “But it’s time. I want to spend time with my family more.”