RUMFORD — For 27 years, Jane Doucette has provided extra help to students in Regional School Unit 10 classes.

When the end of the school year arrives in June, she will leave the classroom as an educational technician to join her husband, Kim, who will retire from Catalyst Paper, formerly the NewPage mill, in April.

“I’ve loved working with the kids,” the Mexico resident, 61, said.

Doucette graduated from the former Mexico High School and attended three years at the University of Maine at Augusta and the University of Maine at Farmington. She began her long career just as the former School Administrative District 43 in Mexico merged with the Rumford School Department.

Her children were young at the time, and her work as an ed tech fit right in her schedule.

As an educational technician, Doucette reinforces the material students have learned in the classroom. She has provided this assistance at the former Mexico High School, Meroby Elementary School and Mountain Valley Middle School.

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She is now retiring after serving 13 years at Mountain Valley High School, ending her career as an employee of the 12-town RSU 10, where she worked for 27 years.

During April vacation, she will visit her daughter and new grandchild in Costa Rica. She hopes it will be one of many trips to come.

Doucette and her husband have three children and eight grandchildren, with a ninth on the way.

“I look forward to the slower mornings with the newspaper,” she said. “I may substitute, but retiring is just the fact that I’ll have more of my time.”

She hopes to travel more, spend more time in her flower garden and follow the activities of her grandchildren.

“I’ve loved my job and I’ve had a lot of successes,” she said. “I’ve been very comfortable and have many good relationships. I’ll miss being part of education and all the changes; I wish everyone well,” she said, adding that she hopes everyone will stay strong through all of the challenges.

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