"Mean" teacher retires after decades of educating

Murdock Elementary School teacher Cherylle Waters was recognized Thursday for more than two decades as being known as the "mean teacher."

Waters retired Jan. 31 after 23 years with the school.

Murdock Principal Holly McLaughlin, who presented Waters will a plaque at the the Willows Unified School District board meeting, said Waters was an integral part of the third-grade team.

"Her expertise will be greatly missed," McLaughlin said.

Waters joked about being known as a mean teacher and even agreed with the title.

"I am a mean teacher because I insist that each student do the best she or he is capable of doing," Waters said.

Waters said she was also known for being mean because she made her students hand in their assignments on time, she required students to think carefully and make their own decisions, she insisted her students always tell the truth; she held students responsible for their own behavior, and required all her students to treat each other with respect.

"I am a mean teacher because I help produce students who are respectful, responsible and successful," she said. "Yes, I am a mean teacher because the world needs more mean teachers."

Waters was born and raised in North Carolina.

She received her teaching credentials from East Carolina University and her master's degree in collaborative educational leadership from Fielding Graduate University in Santa Barbara.

She was also one of the first three teachers in Glenn County to receive a language development specialist credential.

Waters began teaching at Murdock in 1990, and has taught fourth and third grades.

She was the first teachers in Willows to become a National Board of Professional Teaching Standards certified teacher in 2002.

Waters said she is looking forward to retirement.

She and her husband, George Waters, are members of the Willows Elks Lodge, and they enjoy contributing to its charities, especially those for children.

She loves scrapbooking and cooking, and said she will be found in the future in the new gourmet kitchen she and her husband are building.

The couple spearheaded the cookbook project for the Elks Purple Pig Project, which raised money for crippled children.

Murdock teacher Tara Berens will take over Waters' classroom.