Mother of CCS principal attended the school where she later taught

Cottonwood Community School Principal Heather Wacker said for the past 23 years, if she was working, she would call her mom “Janet.” She’d be “mom” only at home.

Now Janet Burrus, Wacker’s mother, is retiring after more than 30 years with the district, she can go back to being just “mom.”

“It’s funny though, because I’ve gotten myself in a habit, even over holidays or at home, calling her ‘Janet’ still,” Wacker said. “I have never called her ‘mom’ while working here.”

Both women have worked a myriad of positions within Cottonwood-Oak Creek School District.

Burrus began as a volunteer and a coach.

She helped start the 4-H agriculture program at Oak Creek School and later became secretary at Cottonwood Community School. When Wacker became principal four years ago, she moved from being secretary to a special education paraprofessional, because she couldn’t work directly under her daughter.

“It’s not a demotion in the job itself, because in my opinion, the paraprofessional is one of the hardest positions in education by far,” Wacker said. “But she couldn’t do the job she had. But she knew that she had to give that up for me. That is huge forher, as a mom giving up something for your kids.”

Before principal, Wacker was an assistant principal, social studies teacher, college and career readiness coordinator and athletic director — all at CCS. She also coached softball at Mingus Union High School for 10 years.

During a retirement celebration at the July 1 meeting, Burrus said she liked being the principal’s mom. It sometimes made it easier with students.

“I tell them, because they’re not behaving, ‘do you want to go see the principal?’” she said. “‘Who’s the principal?’ [they ask]. ‘She’s my daughter, and I love to go visit my daughter.’ Then they all sit down and they go ‘no.’ ‘Then you better behave.’”

Verde Valley Roots

Burrus was born and raised in the Verde Valley.

She began her journey in COCSD when she attended as a grade school student.

“I went to all three schools here,” she said while fighting tears during a retirement celebration at the July 1 Governing Board meeting. “I played basketball in this gym. … And then the first year they had sixth grade, I was[here].”

As an adult, she first joined Oak Creek School as a volunteer.

“She was a coach, an athletic director, a fundraiser, a mentor and one of the driving forces behind their athletic programs,” COCSD Superintendent Jessica Vocca said during the sendoff speech at the July 1 meeting. “She spent years ensuring students had opportunities to compete, grow and succeed through her dedication and leadership.”

She was also a longtime friend to Michelle Humphery, who lived across the street from her for a long time, and Jayne Lee.

“We all started out at Oak Creek School in Cornville,” said Humphrey, the CCS arts teacher. “Janet was coaching; she was my kids’ coach. My daughters even became coaches with Janet as they got older.”

Burrus coached softball, volleyball and basketball.

Upon meeting Burrus, “we thought she was grouchy,” Humphrey said. “But she was just very stern and very to the point, and I think a lot of people would say that still to this day. The kids are like, ‘Oh, Janet’s mean.’ No, ‘she just wants you to listen.’”

Cottonwood Community School

Burrus came to CCS in 2016, serving as the secretary. When she moved to being a paraprofessional, she asked Humphrey to join her. Before then, Humphrey was a preschool teacher at Head Start.

“I’m glad I did,” Humphrey said. “I feel like, with her retiring, a piece of me is [missing], because we work so well together.

“She even came back for summer camp the last two weeks of summer camp. … I don’t have to twist her arm. All I have to do is say, ‘Janet, will you come work with me for two weeks?’ And she was right there.”

In the later years, the three could be seen in matching costumes for Halloween, like rock, paper scissors and the three ingredients for s’mores — chocolate, marshmallows and graham crackers.

While Burrus might be missing from everyday life at school, the trio will still spend time together.

She’s “probably going to still come help me with my after-school clubs,” Humphrey said. She runs artsy, craft clubs. “I know she’ll be here. She’s going to do some athletic stuff.”

If you need to know one thing about Burrus, Humphrey and Lee agreed, it’s that if kids need help, Burrus will be there.

“She always puts others before herself,” Lee said. “Everyone who knows her is blessed to have her in their life.”

“I was a single mom [of four]. She helped me raise my girls — her and Jane both,” Humphrey said. “Getting the kids back and forth to their different age levels [in sports]. Had to go to different ballparks and different fields.”

She’s also good with a needle and thread, Wacker said. If a kid’s jacket ever ripped or something needed patched up, she’d be there, ready to fix it.

“We always joke around with her because she’s 65 years old and she’d be like, ‘Oh, I’ll climb up on that ladder and do it.’ I’m like, ‘No, you’re going to break your hip,’” Wacker said. “We always joke around with her because she will try to do more than she probably is capable of doing, but she wants to do it to give back.”