New LES teacher excited to be back in Montana

Laura Raykowski always knew she wanted to come back to Montana, but she never dreamed it would happen this soon.

“I always thought I would be retired before I came back,” Raykowski said.

So when she and her husband, Keith, had the opportunity to leave Omak, Wash. — where they both worked in education for 18 years — to move to the Flathead Valley, they jumped at the chance.

Raykowski, who was born and raised in Michigan, was recently hired to fill an open teaching position in the special education department at Lakeside Elementary School, while her husband took on a school psychologist position at Kalispell Middle School.

“We felt it was a great opportunity,” Raykowski said. “It’s amazing (to be back in Montana). We still can’t believe it sometimes.”

The couple attended the University of Montana before spending nine years in Dillon. After moving to Washington, where they were both able to find full-time jobs,

Raykowski and her husband continued to visit Montana whenever they could.

“We had family here, so we vacationed here all the time,” Raykowski said.

Although she began her career as a third-grade teacher, Raykowski soon discovered her calling in special education. After spending two years in a traditional classroom, she decided to get her special education teaching endorsement.

Sixteen years later, Raykowski is still going strong. She loves taking on the challenge of catering to her students’ ever-changing individual needs.

“I like trying to find something that works for each student,” Raykowski said. “Seeing kids who often struggle at something succeed is really rewarding.”

At the beginning of each school year, Raykowski focuses on getting to know each student on an individual level.

“I always try to build a relationship with the kids first, and then I try to build on each child’s successes or strengths,” she said.

According to Raykowski, the special education department’s team environment is crucial to the success of the program.

“I have a great team with some great paras (paraprofessionals),” Raykowski said. “We rely on each other.”

Throughout the course of the school day, Raykowski works with students one-on-one and, more frequently, in small groups.

“My favorite is small groups,” Raykowski said. “I can do so much more with them.”

Although it is often difficult to balance the wide variety of her students’ needs, Raykowski said that seeing them succeed makes all of her hard work worthwhile.

“I just love seeing kids light up when they get it,” she said.

Raykowski and her husband have two grown sons — one who lives in Spokane and one who lives in Whitefish. Her family also owns property on the east shore of Flathead Lake.

Although she was familiar with the Flathead Valley before moving to the West Shore, she had not spent much time in Lakeside.

“We’ve been through it (Lakeside) a hundred times, but we never really stopped,” she said. “It’s a neat community. It seems like there’s a lot of support, and the staff here has been really friendly and welcoming.”