LN’s Assistant Principal Retires After 14 Years

By Nicole Burts, (Lawrence) North Star -

After 14 years at Lawrence North, Assistant Principal Phyllis Bandy is ready for a new adventure.
On Feb. 27, Bandy will have her official last day at LN and begin her retirement.

“I’ve been here long enough. The school needs some fresh blood and some younger people that can relate better to the students than I do,” said Bandy. She began her journey at LN on Oct. 16, 1995, as the Special Education Department Chair. She only filled the position for a year before becoming an administrator in the summer of 1996. Bandy has been an educator for the past 35 years working in various townships throughout the state and different levels of schools. She will be retiring due to timing and complications with her health.

“Right now the doctors found two cancerous spots on my brain,” said Bandy.

Bandy will be going to Greenwood in the next couple of weeks to have the cyberknife radiology surgery performed, which is a little more tediou! s than the other operations she has had in the past.

After Bandy’s surgery she will participate in a trial chemotherapy and drug experiment by Eli Lilly.
Bandy’s first step after retirement, however, is to take care of some much needed pampering. “The first thing I want to do once I retire is go to a spa for a week. I want to get massages and manicures and pedicures and have a mud bath, the works,” said Bandy.

She also wanted to travel to Jamaica, but because of her health her doctor will not allow it.

“My doctor told me if I go somewhere like Jamaica and I get sick, their hospitals are terrible,” said Bandy.

Bandy feels some of her best experiences as an educator have come from the people she’s been surrounded by throughout her career. “The adults that I work with are all very supportive. I hope I work half as hard as they do. I’m most impressed with their caring and kindness for the kids,” said Bandy.

Many of the athletic events have been Bandy’s favorite memories.  “One of my most positive experiences was being able to participate in the state championships of basketball, wrestling, and track and going to the football games,” said Bandy.

As an educator one of her most tragic memories was the death of student, John Stewart, in 1999 during a basketball game.  “I can’t imagine what his parents went through. The team was just devastated,” said Bandy.

But most importantly she’s developed a great sense of respect for people and sensitivity to their needs. “I’ve learned a lot about people, about kids and myself and how to relate to kids and teachers and try to make everyone happy, which I know is impossible, but I won’t quit trying,” said Bandy.

Guidance Counselor Jo Ann Chapman and Bandy have been working together since the late ‘80s and have known each other nearly 20 years. Bandy was a special education teacher and Chapman was a guidance counselor at John Marshall middle school. The guidance counselors were assigned a team of kids and Chapman was given many of Bandy’s students, so the two worked closely together. Years later when Bandy transferred to LN a position opened for a guidance counselor that could also do a master schedule, so Bandy informed Chapman that the position would be a great fit for her and the two have continued working together ever since.

Along with being co-workers and friends, Bandy and Chapman are also sisters in the sorority, Delta Theta Tau. Bandy had been a member of Delta Theta Tau since the ‘80s and after developing a close friendship with Chapman, she invited her to become apart of the sisterhood. “We’ve had many good times over the past 20 years,” said Chapman. Chapman believes an undeniable quality in Bandy is her love of kids. “She truly cares about the kids. I believe she’s truly fair,” said Chapman. “Lawrence North has become her family and I know she hates to retire because there’s so much she loves about the school in every aspect.”

Bandy hopes that her memory will remain one of high standards and good morals along wit! h the love of the children and school pride. “I hope that I have instilled some good morals on many of the kids and I’ve been a good role model,” said Bandy. “I want to take many of the friendships I’ve created here. There are really good people at all levels, custodians, secretaries, teachers that are out there doing a lot of good things for kids that I’m proud to call my friend.”

On Tuesday Lawrence Township teachers and administrators, along with friends of Bandy, held a retirement party for her.