A roar of applause rippled through the crowd when International Baccalaureate Coordinator Karen Stanton stepped onto the stage at the IB Banquet. The annual celebration became a moment of recognition when IB officers presented her with a retirement gift to express appreciation for her service.

After overseeing the IB program for the past eight years, Stanton will retire at the end of this school year. Stanton worked closely with IB students and staff to ensure a successful year while strengthening the IB community. Leaving at a strong point in her career, her retirement marks the end of her work in the IB program. Starting a new chapter, Stanton intends to continue advocating for public education.

“Somebody told me once that you’ll wake up and you’ll know when it’s time to retire, and that’s kind of how I felt,” Stanton said. “We all have an obligation to sometimes step back and let the next person move forward. I wanted to make sure that I was retiring more at the top of my career instead of once I had gotten tired or burned out. I wanted to leave when I still loved what I’m doing.”

Stanton dedicated 34 years to education, beginning her journey in Colorado before moving to Texas to open Rice Middle School. She then taught at Jasper High School, Clark High School and strategically capped off her career at Plano East, ending her years of service on a high note.

“[It’s] time to pass the torch,” Stanton said. “I feel excited about it. I know that I’ve made positive changes and I hope that I’ve made a difference in students’ lives. I feel confident that whoever takes over will be able to take that, run with it and personalize the program [to] make it special in their own way.” 

As the year comes to a close, Stanton prepares for retirement by setting up the future IB coordinator for success. While this marks the end of an era, a new chapter is opening simultaneously for both the IB program and Stanton. 

“I am looking forward to being able to be an advocate for public education, and so I’ll continue to do that even after I retire,” Stanton said. “[I’ll miss] the students, parents, community, my colleagues, administrators and [overall] the connection. I think the point of life is to connect with other people, to leave the world better than how you found it.”

Despite her retirement, Stanton intends to continue supporting the education system. Positive change can be bittersweet, since entering a new chapter means leaving something behind for growth. But moving forward doesn’t mean that all memories will be forgotten, insead they can be valued.

“Every time we have a meeting, she has all of our names on [the Wheel of Names] and at the beginning of a meeting she usually has three or four questions,” Biology teacher Dusty Vincer said. “If you’re chosen then you either have to answer one of the questions or you have to talk about somebody, like the person next to you, and what qualities you like in that person.” 

One of Stanton’s most notable accomplishments is her ability to build a community through tradition. The Wheel of Names is a memorable tradition held during staff meetings that encourages participation and team building. 

“Miss Stanton is very compassionate and kind,” Vincer said. “She’s very supportive of teachers and education, so I think we’re all going to miss her spirit and the way she knows the ins and outs [of the IB program]. We can all go to her for advice.”

Vincer has known Stanton since she first started working at Plano East. Stanton’s values align with the IB mission statement to create a better world through education.

“For me, what makes Plano East really special is the diversity,” Stanton said. “We have students from all walks of life, cultures, ethnicities, orientations, and we’re all together. The [IB] mission statement is that people with their differences can also be right, and so the idea of mutual respect, that we’re all here and the world is better when it’s not just about tolerating people. It’s about accepting and loving people, I feel like that’s what IB is about and Plano East is the perfect setting for that.”

Stanton served as a crucial link between IB and school administration. By ensuring the rigorous IB curriculum is properly implemented and managed, Stanton is a central point of support for students and staff. IB officers gifted Stanton a bouquet of flowers as a token of appreciation for her hard work.

 “At the [IB] banquet, I feel like that was a really sweet moment, the kids made me feel really special and they all stood up when my name was called,” Stanton said.

Stanton posted about her retirement on Facebook. Past students, staff and friends came forward to express appreciation. 

“We are really excited for Miss Stanton’s next chapter in life,” Vincer said. “She’s going to get to do something that she is very passionate about, and she brought that same passion to work. She is an avid animal lover, a good role model for students, she volunteers every week at her animal shelter and helps to get animals adopted. I’m very thankful. She’s really going to be missed.”

After retirement, Stanton will be the director of Pastoral Care at First Unitarian Church of Dallas. The job description includes providing care through cards, meals, visits and support groups. Additionally, she will also be responsible for leading a Navigating Grief class. Her plans to work in this feild will keep Stanton embedded in the social justice work that is central to her values.

“My lifelong contribution is to see people and to make them feel seen and loved, but in terms of the IB program, I hope that I brought to the forefront what’s really important about IB,” Stanton said. “[It’s] not just harder classes or classrank GPA, IB is about global understanding, becoming the best person that you can be through reflection and through creativity and service.”