McLaughlin finishes 40+ years at St. John

St-John-Endicott teacher Debbie McLaughlin retires this year after a career in education spanning more than four decades. She has taught elementary and high school classes, middle school art and physical education.

“In a small school, you teach where you are needed,” McLaughlin said.

A Spokane native, she graduated from Joel E. Ferris High School, attended Spokane Falls Community College and Eastern Washington University.

She was hired at St. John in the fall of 1977 to teach second-grade and has remained in the district ever since. She commuted more than an hour every day from Spokane.

In ret...