By Staff
NILES -- Beverly Kaiser of Niles and the Berrien County Chapter of the Michigan Association of Retired School Personnel was "thrilled" to receive a Distinguished Service Award at its recent meeting in Lansing.
Kaiser, who spent 30 years at Magician Lake, retired in 1979 after 25 years with the Brandywine school district, including elementary principal.
She served as first vice president from 1989 to 1991; president from 1991 to 1993 and also served the Berrien County chapter as chairman of the friendship committee, membership committee and chapter historian.
She was instrumental in establishing local scholarship awards.
During the '90s, Beverly attended every state conference with the exception of two years due to illness.
As a part of the regional configuration, Beverly hosted the first Area 22 conference.
Since her retirement, Beverly continues to share her enthusiasm and zeal through numerous activities.
She is an active member of Eastern Star and Amaranth. She also participated in White Shrine.
Her local church receives special attention as she volunteers when and wherever needed.
Beverly uses her expertise gained as director of student teachers for Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, in her advice and guidance to the scholarship selection committees of the Berrien County chapter.
During her career Kaiser worked with the Michigan Department of Education and Michigan State University in development of the "Can First Grade Students Teach Themselves to Read" project.
This experience was of great value in establishing interviewing techniques for prospective awardees of the county association's future teacher selection.
She was honored by the state elementary principals association for her work with children and staff.
Beverly has successfully transferred her participation as one of four administrators appointed by the State of Michigan to attend five state regional meetings on science curriculums held in Chicago.
She was also an appointed member of the MAESP (Michigan Association of Elementary School Principals) Curriculum Committee from Region V and representatives from Region V and representative for multi-teacher education for the Michigan Department of Public Instruction.
Beverly stands as a true role model, inspiring beginning teachers to mold their activities along the path she chose in her profession.
The Berrien County chapter of Retired School Personnel has profited greatly from her membership, leadership and guidance.
Kaiser also served as president of the honorary teachers association Delta Kappa Gamma and of Alpha Beta Epsilon, a Western Michigan University teaching organization.