As the school year comes to a close, so do the careers of many Evergreen School Division (ESD) staff members. Each has spent years dedicated to improving the lives of students, including Agnes Furgala, who is retiring after 35 years at Riverton Collegiate.
Furgala was a familiar face that students and staff could expect to see smiling day after day. As the school librarian, educational assistant, student liaison and breakfast and lunch program co-ordinator, she always looked forward to coming to work.
“I have always liked working with kids, and when I went to the high school, I thought it would be harder since they were older,” she recalled. “But honest to God, I just love them — I will miss working with them very much.”
Furgala first worked as an educational assistant in Grand Rapids before moving to the Riverton area. She remembers her first year as challenging, but over time she became more comfortable and quickly fell in love with her role.
About five years after joining Evergreen School Division, she became Riverton Collegiate’s librarian — something she said was, and continues to be, a learning process as she learned to use the cataloguing system.
About 13 years ago, she started the breakfast program at the school. She was responsible for purchasing ingredients, equipment and supplies, preparing meals and serving students. She said the position was easily the highlight of her career.
“Students would line up at the end of the hallway as soon as the bell went,” she said. “They were always so happy to be fed, and when I saw they were happy, it made me happy.”
She explained the breakfast program started with cereal and toast but eventually evolved into a well-loved daily menu featuring items such as French toast, sausage and pancakes, grilled cheese, waffles, as well as cereal and toast.
“The students really enjoyed it,” she added.
Furgala also served as the student liaison for students from Berens River, Poplar River, Little Grand Rapids, Bloodvein, Pauingassi and Jackhead. She was responsible for placing students with house parents in Riverton and co-ordinating monthly meetings to ensure rules and regulations were being followed. Although it was a demanding job, she said she enjoyed helping students form connections.
Over the course of her career, she witnessed many changes, most of which involved the people she worked with each day.
“There were a lot of new faces, but every one of them I got along with,” she said. “There was not one time I was mad. I was happy every day.”
In retirement, Furgala is looking forward to relaxing, although she acknowledges she may find it challenging to keep busy. She plans to continue working part-time at the Riverton Friendship Centre and expects she will continue seeing familiar faces from around town. Otherwise, she is looking forward to enjoying retirement as much as possible.
