NV In Focus: Laurie Scheffer Serving Meals and Encouragement

The NV In Focus series presents the people who make NV Schools exceptional
 
Laurie Scheffer fell in love with Sumas Elementary when she started subbing in the school district and soon figured out her niche in the school district: the kitchen.
 
Over 20 years ago, Scheffer, whose husband graduated from Nooksack Valley High School, considered putting her children in public school for the first time, including a special needs foster child who needed help to “overcome a lot of obstacles.” To get to know the teachers and the community, she started subbing.
 
“If you know me, you’d agree that I love the fast-paced hustle of the kitchen,” she says. “I take pride in the meals and fruit/vegetable bar we serve every day.”
 
But it’s about more than the food. “Our goal at Sumas Elementary is not only to serve healthy meals but also to develop personal relationships with the kids and families,” Scheffer says. “It’s been tough out here in our little town of Sumas with the last three floods and sometimes these little ones just need a hug or words of encouragement. Nooksack Valley is my second family, and everyone works together as a team to do and be the best for our kids.”
 
When not serving—or encouraging—the youth at Sumas Elementary, Scheffer and her husband spend time with their grandchildren and annually escape to Mexico. “I feel so blessed,” she says, “to be a part of Nooksack Valley Schools.”