Nancy Wills and Patricia Fraley didn’t plan on being teachers when they attended college more than 30 years ago.

Instead, they happened into their respective careers, and fell in love with it so much they couldn’t stop teaching even after retirement.

Wills, a Clark County native, attended Morehead State University after graduating from George Rogers Clark High School.

She majored in biology and went on to earn her master’s and Rank I, certifying she could teach math, physics, chemistry and biology.

“I had a teacher who said, there is nothing out there for biology majors unless you move to an area that had a lot of industry in it,” Wills said. “My goal was not to move from Central Kentucky. This is where I wanted to stay. So he said either move or go into education. I had never really thought about going into education, mainly because my mom was a teacher.

“As a visitor in her classroom, I didn’t think that was for me. But because of what he said, I thought, ‘OK well, then, maybe that’s what I need to do…’ And the rest is history. Here I am. And I have not regretted a single moment of it.”

Wills has two children, Cole, who is a an agriculture teacher at Powell County High School, and Emily, manager of Prime K9 and Storm Run Farm.

In her spare time, Wills said she loves to spend time with them and her grandchildren. She is also a member of the Clark County Fair board.

Wills started teaching at GRC in 1982. She taught for 32 years before retiring in 2014.

But she couldn’t stay away from the classroom for long. She is currently a substitute teacher, going on five years, spending a few months at Campbell Junior High School.

“Part of it was [RDC Principal] Dustin Howard,” Will said. “He asked me to come in and do some intervention with math students. And he wanted me for the 100-day math intervention person. But once the word got out that I was available…”

Patricia Fraley has a nearly identitical story to Wills. Fraley, also a Clark County native, was also a teacher at GRC. She attended the University of Kentucky and Eastern Kentucky University and has degrees in physics, chemistry and math.

“I started off in mechanical engineering at UK,” Fraley said. “… I think I had like 30 some hours left of having my mechanical engineering degree, but I enjoyed the study hall area, helping fellow classmates on thermodynamics. I really enjoyed the process of the problem-solving, explaining it, moreso than I did necessarily in taking the classes.”

Fraley said she had strugged with math in high school, so the thought of becoming a math teacher seemed far-fetched, but in college, when the math and science meshed, it all began to make sense.

“Since I was one who struggled, I could see where kids struggle,” Fraley said. “So I decided to change and go into education.”

Fraley also has two master’s degrees, one in math and one in education.

“I wanted to get the mathematics degree so I could teach college,” Fraley said. “So I taught at [Bluegrass Community & Technical College] as well.”

Fraley has three children; her youngest, Jacob, is a senior at GRC. She is involved with the GRC band, boy scouts and 4-H.

Fraley, like Wills, taught for 32 years.

Fraley retired in 2017, and also couldn’t stay out of the classroom. She started subbing in December 2018 as the district was in dire need of subs.

Fraley is currently subbing at RDC.

“When I retired, I really wasn’t ready to retire,” Fraley said. “I didn’t feel ready to retire. I still loved what I was doing, which was good. I wasn’t burned out.”

A few openings came up as math teachers took long-term leaves, and Fraley started getting phone calls. Fraley hadn’t planned on subbing, but decided to do it anyway.

“And then when I did it, I really enjoyed it,” Fraley said.

Wills and Fraley are going to use their total 129 days they are allowed to sub as retired teachers.

Fraley said she and Wills aren’t like other subs.

“I like to know my kids,” Fraley said. “I like to be the teacher.”

Wills agreed; she especially likes doing long-term sub gigs.

“I like doing long-term so that way you get to know the students,” Wills said. “You get to bond with them… I always tell them my story that I’m not just a substitute, that I’m actually a teacher, and let them be away. I end up having students that I had their mom or dad or uncle and siblings, cousins, so I try to make that connection.”

For Wills and Fraley, a lot of what being a teacher means is building relationships.

Wills recalled a story from years ago, when a young man decided to quit school two weeks before he was set to graduate.

“He wasn’t doing so well in his classes, and he was afraid he wouldn’t pass, so he was going to quit,” Wills said. “Myself and several others talked with him and got him to come back. He graduated. He’s held a job. He’s supported his family.

“I feel like that’s what a teacher is all about, helping those get over their struggles and the hurdles they’re in.”

Fraley said while she doesn’t get to spend a full year with her students as a substitute, she hopes they remember her lessons and perhaps, have more of a love for learning math.

Wills said she doesn’t want students to have a sub who wasn’t able to continue their education.

Wills and Fraley said they’re unsure of how long they’ll keep subbing until they “retire” again.

They also encourage more people to apply to be a sub as the district is in need, Fraley said.

“[Students] need positive role models in the schools,” Fraley said. “Subbing is a great way to come and make an impact with the kids… you can make a difference in kids’ lives.”