Amy Laumeyer, language arts teacher at North Junior High School, always knew she would be a teacher.
“I don’t know the why,” says Laumeyer. “I just remember whenever anyone would ask me in high school what I wanted to be I would always say, ‘A teacher.'”
She went to college and entered the education program despite the other plans her parents had for her.
“My dad was actually an administrator on the campus, and so he set an appointment with me with the dean of the law school,” laughs Laumeyer. “He said, ‘Be here at this time.’ And so, I went because that’s what you do when it comes to your dad. The professor looked at me and said, ‘Why are you here?’ I said, ‘I don’t know. I think my dad wants me to be a lawyer.”
The professor was kind enough to ask Laumeyer what she wanted to do. She told him she wanted to teach. The professor encouraged her to do what’s best for her.
Laumeyer student-taught fourth grade while attending the University of North Dakota. However, when she began coaching swim lessons to middle school students, she knew she wanted to teach middle school instead. There was something about the age group she adored. She substituted in a seventh-grade classroom to try it and knew it was meant to be.
Then she felt ready to conquer the world. Laumeyer’s plan was to stay in Grand Forks, North Dakota. She was born and raised in Grand Forks and longed to teach there. However, nature changed her course. The flood of 1997 caused the schools to close and for Laumeyer to lose her paraprofessional job.
“My sister and I often joke,” shares Laumeyer, “that we’ve been through a 500-year flood and a pandemic. We’re good.”
Laumeyer and a group of friends interviewed with Bakersfield, California City School District at a career fair prior to the flood. So, when they lost their jobs, the district hired Laumeyer and five of her friends.
Another recruiter from Los Angeles tried to get the group to teach in the metro area. He downplayed Bakersfield – describing it as a flat land, in the middle of nowhere and agricultural.
She thought, “It feels like home!”
She enjoyed her three years at Bakersfield. She and her group of friends toured all of California. However, after those three years, Laumeyer faced California licensing requirements. She didn’t want to obtain her California license because she was already licensed in Minnesota.
In 2000, she decided to move back. St. Cloud Area School District 742 was hiring, and in May, Dr. Pat Welter hired her.
For 21 years now, Laumeyer has been teaching language arts at North Junior High School.
“I love the structure, the literature, the elements and when students react to stories,” smiles Laumeyer. “I’ve seen students get upset, students cry, a range of emotions [from] reading something that speaks to you. Whether it’s a novel, article or a poem. Then the structure behind writing, it can be very mathematical. [I love] to see them express themselves through their writing. I love the crafting of it too. I’m nit-picky. I love the grammar.”
Over the years, Laumeyer has formed deep relationships with her colleagues at North. She’s been through the best and worst parts of her life (including her battle with cancer) with them.
“I went through treatment during the 2007-2008 school year, and the staff was so supportive,” says Laumeyer. “All major milestones in my last 21 years have happened with North staff -my master’s degree, my first home, our engagement, our wedding, my treatment, the arrival of our children. North has been my home. My life has happened here at North. North is family.”
Laumeyer looks forward to turning the page to the next chapter.
Fun Facts:
- Her hobbies revolve around her children’s activities.
- When she has free time, she’ll be at the lake at the family cabin.
- Laumeyer loves to travel.
- Her family are foodies! They love to cook.
- Laumeyer has been in a cooking club for 20 years.
Laumeyer’s family vacation to Yellowstone.
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