On October 31st, 2024, Ms. Diana Ervin retired after 17 long years of working at Tok School. Ms. Diana started working at the school in 2007 as the administrative secretary. However, this wasn’t her first job - she started working at 12 years old and hasn’t slowed down since then! Other jobs she’s had over the years were maid, busser, firefighter, kitchen manager, administrative secretary for TCC, environmental tech I and II for TCC, substitute teacher in Northway and Tok, environmental tech for the Yukon River Watershed Council, president & manager of Northway Natives and Nabia Niign, and Indian education mentor at Tok School.
Ms. Diana’s favorite part about working at Tok School was, “The students and watching them grow,” and her least favorite part was “having to witness bad behavior.” In a similar vein, she noted that, over the years, the most challenging part of her job was “staying sane.”
Even if it was difficult to stay sane sometimes, Ms. Diana wasn’t all glad to leave. She added what she will miss the most: “The students, especially elementary students. But mostly being a basketball coach.” She also said she would come visit or volunteer for basketball events, so say hello when you see her at the basketball games!
Ms. Diana expressed that she had plans for her retirement: “Traveling, beading, and making craft items.” She also received an abundance of retirement presents, including, “a crocheted blanket from Principal Benedict, a photo of staff thumbprints, a little food party, a framed picture with student signatures, a retirement sash and tiara, some hot steam products, and lots of love and hugs.” It just so happens that Ms. Diana retired on Halloween day! She said her favorite part of retiring on Halloween was, “I got to dress up for my final hoo-rah!” Funnily enough, even though her last day was on October 31st, Ms. Diana came on November 1st for an hour to assist with bank reconciliation. It seems like her job is never finished, even after retirement.
Many students were sad to see Ms. Diana leave, but they were more than happy to answer some questions about their favorite - and most challenging - times with her. Emma Coulman had in-school suspension with Ms. Diana, and said, “The days were very long and I thought I was in prison! I got detention for going to the bathroom at lunch. It was two days of sitting in there and doing work. It was awful, and also I didn't get to go on one of the basketball trips because of it.”
However, Emma’s time in ISS did not sour her from Ms. Diana. She says that she will especially miss “when she gives out donuts,” and “when she let you have a birthday party and she bought pizza!” Lucas Erikson and Kensington Nelson agreed - it was the best when she brought donuts!
Handsome Gallen, Ms. Diana’s grandson, explained what he will miss from his grandma: “The snacks she gave me.” He would usually get his snacks during GAP or at lunch. Some of the snacks were “leftovers from home or leftovers from Fast Eddy’s.” Handsome noted that he mainly got food rather than drinks. It seems like Handsome was more interested in the food than hanging out with his grandma after school!
Ms. Diana is known for policing the hallways and stopping kids who ran in the halls and playing hide and seek, finding students wandering the hall instead of being in class. Holly Beeman particularly liked it when Ms. Diana would stop hall runners, “ Ms. Diana loves when kids stop running in the hallway because they don't want to get yelled at.”
Ms. Diana helped many kids in her time with hurt or sick kids and printing papers for students. Noah Easton liked her helpfulness. “ Whenever I had to print papers she helped me.” Kensington received assistance from Ms. Diana too - “When I got hurt.” Lucas liked it when Ms. Diana helped. He noted, “Two people got their coats stolen and she bought new ones for them,” and, “If I was going to the office with someone if they were hurt, she would get ice for them.” We will all miss her helpfulness.
Not only are the kids going to miss Ms. Diana, the staff will as well. Ms. Fifarek was particularly fond of, “how loud her voice can be across the gym and hearing her voice from the gym during basketball games.” She said she would also miss “when she would tell me there was food in the office for me to eat, like it was a secret that only I was in on.” She also enjoyed Ms. Diana’s helpfulness. “She was always helpful and patient when I needed help with paperwork.“ Ms. Fifarek’s favorite thing about Ms. Diana is “the ability to threaten kids with her presence!” Finally, she described what she imagines the school will be like without Ms. Diana: “I feel like it will take some time to get into a new rhythm without her consistent presence.”
Mr. Robinson said his favorite memory with Diana was, “I enjoyed her retirement party.” He also talked about how Ms. Diana was helpful. “Yeah, she helped me last year with understanding the nuance with basketball” and said that he will miss “her sense of humor” the most. Lastly, Mr. Robinson added how he thought the school would be like without Diana: “A new era because she was a huge presence at the school.“
Ms. Lindsay also talked about her favorite memory of Ms. Diana: “Playing basketball with her last year at the staff game.” She then added, “I don't think I would have handled the first year in Tok without her,” and, “she fed me soup sometimes.” Lindsay especially liked “how Ms. Diana ran the office so well.” How does she think the school will change after Ms. Diana’s retirement? “I thought it would we’d cooked but we're still cooking.”
Ms. Diana was a big part of Tok School and we will never forget her. All of the students and staff will miss her very very much. The school will never be the same without her. We love you Ms.Diana! Have a great retirement!
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