The Wylie community has already heard the news of Hugh and Brenda Sandifer’s retirement, but amidst headlines and stories concerning the beloved head coach, I was able to sit down with the woman who greatly contributes to our school behind the scenes. Mrs. Sandifer has been working at Wylie since 1985, watching the district grow and change throughout her time counseling. 

 Starting her story in 1979, she tells of her first teaching job at Abilene High. There, Mrs. Sandifer taught multiple subjects and sponsored more than one extracurricular group. Her husband started coaching several years before Mrs. Sandifer began working at Wylie, and she recounts how it was a smaller country school. At the time, kindergarten through 12th grade was all together on one campus. In 1985, after receiving her Master’s in counseling, Mrs. Sandifer took her first job with the Bulldogs. Her first year was spent as the counselor for kindergarten through 8th grade students. By her second year, a position opened up at the high school, where she has been working ever since. 

Now the testing coordinator and director of counseling, Mrs. Sandifer is looking forward to retiring after spending so many happy years at Wylie. She and her husband feel very blessed to have gotten to know the families who have been at Wylie for generations as well as the new students who have come to be a part of our growing community. A testament to the quality of the district, the Sandifers’ oldest daughter attended Wylie and now teaches at the West Intermediate. She is expecting her first child in June, and Hugh and Brenda look forward to having time to spend time with their grandchild. Retirement also gives the Sandifers the opportunity to visit their youngest daughter, who lives in Denver. 

Mrs. Sandifer has worked so hard for so many years, and Wylie has been lucky to have her and Coach Sandifer at our school. Emphasizing how blessed she’s been to work with such quality people, Mrs. Sandifer shows how much she’s loved her time here. It is people like her who invest in students and truly care about our school that make Wylie so great. From all the Bulldogs, thank you Mrs. Sandifer.