Mrs. Hainer: From Tiger to Tigerhawk
Mrs. Hainer: From Tiger to Tigerhawk
Serenity Housley
Mrs. Deb Hainer is a familiar face within the Colfax-Mingo community. Deb (Brown) Hainer moved to Colfax when she was 4 years old and graduated in 1981 as a Colfax Tiger. She returned as a Tigerhawk in 2000 as a substitute teacher before becoming a full time classroom teacher in 2005. While she’ll continue to be a Tigerhawk after this school year, Mrs. Hainer will once again be promoted to a new role with Colfax-Mingo CSD, a retired teacher!
Mrs. Hainer’s entire education experience, as a student, parent and teacher, was with Colfax-Mingo. Hainer operated an in-home daycare and worked at Lutheran Hospital in the human resources department before becoming a substitute teacher and later full-time teacher for C-M. Hainer served as an elementary physical education teacher and taught a variety of different grade levels over the past twenty years but her favorite grade to teach was first grade which has been her most recent teaching assignment.
Hainer had four children of her own and chose to keep them in the district where they could make a difference and feel like their voices mattered. Throughout Hainer’s career she has seen many changes in education such as all students getting computers, teachers starting to teach in more subject areas, and even being able to communicate with parents through emails.
Mrs. Hainer’s favorite memory while teaching at Colfax-Mingo was all the great students who came through and all the funny stories she has been told by them. She’ll cherish the amazing relationships she built with a large number of her students over the years saying, “being a teacher has been so rewarding and it has changed me for the better.”
Not only has Hainer impacted her students but also her daughter Kristen Nguyen who decided to follow in her mom’s footsteps after seeing the connection she had with her students. “When I was little there would be so many students who would come back and see my mom because she left a huge impact on their life. I remember thinking that was so awesome and being able to impact a student’s life as my job would be rewarding.” For the past four years, Nguyen has had the opportunity to work alongside her mom at Colfax-Mingo Elementary. She loved having her mom to lean on and be there to give her advice when she needed it as a newer teacher without the fear of judgement. Nguyen credits her mom with teaching her classroom management, knowing when to have fun and when to be strict, working with parents, and making connections with students. Nguyen said, “My mom and I were close before working together but we have gotten even closer to where she is not only my mom but truly my best friend. I am forever grateful for all the memories and laughs I have had with her the last four years of working with her.”
After retirement Hainer plans on staying in the district to be a substitute teacher and when she’s not doing that she will be spending time with her family. Congratulations on your retirement Mrs. Hainer!
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