Since retiring, John and Paula Hodge dedicate time to creative pursuits on their quiet patch of land in Grand Saline, Texas. There, you can find John working in his woodshop while Paula paints colorful canvases in their adjoining garage studio. Some days, Paula is back in a different kind of classroom, but still doing the teaching she has always loved. Their TRS pension has enabled them to enjoy retirement for more than two decades.
Eager to plan their next chapter post-retirement, TRS members and best friends Katie Agor, Suzanne Francis and Ruth Matheny decided to launch a wood-fired pizza restaurant in Granbury, Texas. Watch this episode of TRS Talks to learn how the joint venture is helping the trio to savor this slice of life.
According to Amy Coco, an elementary school teacher at Trivium Academy in Carrollton, Texas, there's a common stigma that learning history is boring. Because she wants kids to love history as much as she does, Coco began working with students to create reenactments of historical events. In this episode of TRS Talks, see how she and her colleagues are revolutionizing history lessons one video at a time.
He’s with the band! You could say retirement is “music to the ears” of one TRS member. Former Dahlstrom Middle School Band Director Leroy Gerdes retired but isn’t missing a beat! You see, Gerdes, Dahlstrom’s first band director, now volunteers at the school alongside current band director Rachel Janek and student teacher Frank DeLeon. In this TRS Talks, a trio of educators, from three generations, are stirring up treble to make sweet music.
There’s not enough time in the day for TRS retiree Josie Viel. After a rewarding teaching career, she now dedicates her time to belly dancing, baton twirling and helping animals in need. In this episode of TRS Talks, we travel to El Paso to capture Josie’s heartwarming story. She credits her secure TRS pension for the freedom she now enjoys.