Lincoln Elementary School Unites the Mother-Daughter Teacher Superstars
By Tara Fort
When the Kindergarten teacher position opened up at Lincoln Elementary School within the Prescott Unified School District (PUSD) in the 2024 school year, Lincoln alum Bethany Dillon knew she had to apply. After all, not only did she attend Lincoln, but her mom, Kim, teaches there, too.
Seeing each other most days is just one of the special perks that both women enjoy. Bethany said, “I am very lucky to spend the time learning from and watching my mom be the amazing teacher that she is!” Kim, a second-grade teacher who volunteered at Lincoln when Bethany attended there in 2002, fell in love with the Lincoln community and said working with Bethany, “…is always one of those full circle gratifying moments for me and why I often feel I have the best job in the world.”
While Kim has been with PUSD for 19 years, including the past 17 as a second grade teacher, this is Bethany’s first year with the district. Bethany said, “I attended kindergarten here, and have always been extremely grateful for my experience growing up in Prescott, so it feels incredibly rewarding to give back to my community in this way.” Mom Kim echoed the community connection: “I find it most gratifying every time I encounter a former student contributing in the community. I love seeing former students at places when I have my car repaired or when I’m dining out. Seeing former students we took care of in our Lincoln community become the community members who are now taking care of us is beyond rewarding!”
Lincoln has been a part of the lives of both women and Kim recalls those special traditions. “Many of the traditions Bethany experienced as a child, like the Halloween parade, Courthouse Caroling and Thanksgiving Play ‘No Turkey for Perky’ are the events she is now part of as an adult. On a fun note, two of her best friends from kindergarten in 2005 and later her college roommates, surprised her and came to see her class perform the Thanksgiving play just like they had performed so many years ago.”
Clark Tenney, Superintendent of PUSD, said, “How lucky are PUSD and Lincoln Elementary school to have not just one amazing Dillon, but two? It is pretty special for a dynamic mother and daughter duo to have the opportunity for their impactful teaching careers to overlap. Kim has been a PUSD superstar for years and has touched the lives of hundreds of wonderful children. Bethany must have been paying careful attention all those years, because she has already hit the ground running as an amazing teacher in just the first few months of what we hope will be a long career.”
For more information about Bethany Dillon and Kim Dillon and the Prescott Unified School District, visit www.prescottschools.com.