MAKING A Difference T
hey say home is where the heart is. And for Suzanne Harlow, her heart
has always been in Little Elm ISD. But if you asked her 35 years ago, when her career barely started at Little Elm ISD, her
where she was an inclusion teacher. Her passion has always been to help struggling students see their potential, which has been the most rewarding part of her job.
heart would have said something else. “I was so excited to start my teaching career. I just wanted a job,” Harlow said. Those were the words from a woman who was young, working on her master’s, and who admittedly said Plano ISD was the place to teach in the 1980s. “I was waiting to hear back from someone. I was living in Denton at the time and decided I would apply at Little Elm. I was interviewed by the Superintendent, Dr. Russell, and was immediately offered a job.” And the rest is history. After working in Little Elm ISD for five years, Harlow realized just how much she loved the people she worked with. “I made some really good friends, and I couldn’t see myself working with anyone else. So I stayed,” she said. “Then I fell more in love with the families, teaching siblings, and having the support and love of the same families.” For the last 35 years, Harlow has made a difference in the lives of hundreds of children she has served. Her last seven years were spent at Prestwick Elementary, 10
• LITTLE ELM ISD •
2020 - 2021
because she considered Little Elm ISD “Anytime a student has success in the classroom, I am blessed. I have
her work home.” Which is why retiring after all those
been blessed to watch my students
years has been one of the most
go to middle school, high school,
difficult decisions.
college, into marriage, and parenthood,”
“I am going to miss working with my
she said. “I love seeing the amazing
students. Some of them I have worked
young adults they have grown into
with since they were in kindergarten. I
and the success they have achieved
will miss seeing their successes, helping
in life.”
with their struggles, and being there
Just like that, her home became this
to support them. I will also miss my
place where her heart felt the deepest
co-workers, and I can’t imagine not
connection to the students she served.
seeing them every day,” Harlow said.
Prestwick principal Christine Gibson can attest to that. “Simply put, Suzanne was a Lobo for
One of Little Elm ISD’s core values is creating a community where every student loves to learn, every teacher
life. She rarely took a day off and came
loves to teach, and every person is proud
to work with a smile on her face,”
to call home. Harlow is living proof and
Gibson said. “She commuted to work
an example of that. We are Little Elm. We
all these years from Anna, Texas,
are One Community. One Pack.
