Elementary school paraprofessional Liz Rushmeyer didn’t stop working when the school year ended. Instead, she went from teacher to business owner.
Rushmeyer’s family business, Woof Factory, sells natural and healthy dog treats.
“Once I took the job at the school, I kind of wasn’t able to be as involved as I’d like to be,” Rushmeyer said. “We’ve been kind of stagnant.”
However, Rushmeyer and her family are making dog treats almost daily now that she has the time.
“We do it all from home,” she said. “Everything is handmade and dehydrated.”
An estimated one in five teachers work second jobs outside the school system, according to data from the U.S. Department of Education. Locally, those second jobs include providing private music lessons and working downtown.
For Rushmeyer, Woof Factory began after her 8-year-old son, Avery, decided he wanted to start a dog treat business and donate the profits to a local animal shelter.
“It was his idea. We kinda just ran with it,” Rushmeyer said. “Now we donate 10 percent of our net profits to a different animal shelter each month.”
Although Rushmeyer and her husband are primarily responsible for the business, they encourage Avery and their 5-year-old son, Jackson, to be involved as much as possible.
“It’s really fun, and it’s an opportunity for them to learn entrepreneurship and how to work, things like that,” Rushmeyer said.
Rushmeyer said she continues to build the business in the summer and during the school year as a way to bond with her family while also setting her kids up for success in the future.
“Our goal, of course, is to be successful and leave, like, a legacy to our children,” she said. “Hopefully they can branch off and make it their own as they grow.”
Jessica Vanstory, an elementary music teacher, also continues to work in the summer. She teaches music at K-State’s STEAM Virtual Academy for three weeks in June.
Vanstory teaches fifth through eighth graders how sound and instruments work, along with showing them how to create rhythms, compose music and use STEM skills to make music online in a class called “Music Using STEM is Cool.”
“It’s all taught through Zoom so it’s a little bit different,” Vanstory said.
Vanstory has between five and 50 students in her class each week, depending on how many kids sign up. She said although teaching online can be difficult, she likes getting to see everything her students create over the week.
“It’s just a lot of different experimentation, hands-on experiences and just navigating it all through Zoom so it’s really cool,” Vanstory said.
This is Vanstory’s third summer working at the virtual academy. She said the students are what keeps her coming back.
“It’s different every time. The number of students I see, their projects and I’m kinda bringing in and trying new things every time,” Vanstory said. “It’s just cool to see the outcome and it’s a good feeling, for sure.”
Along with her work at the virtual academy, Vanstory gives private trumpet lessons year-round.
“This year at Eudora I did fifth grade band so I would do private lessons with the kids,” Vanstory said. “Then I’m doing it over the summer, too, so if anyone wants to meet I’m like, ‘Yeah, sure. Let’s go practice your trumpet for a little bit.’”
Vanstory said these jobs are more than just work for her.
“It’s not all about the money,” she said. “It’s about the passion and my love for music.”
Meadow Meier, a second grade teacher, agrees her summer jobs are about more than just the money.
Meier has worked for Main St. Scoops and Sweets for over a year, even after starting her teaching job in August.
“It’s just a very fun environment, and it’s just very relaxing compared to teaching,” Meier said.
Meier also teaches at Summer Academy during the week.
“It’s just a free program for kids to come to have something to do for a month,” she said. “I’m one of the three second grade teachers for the summer.”
As a Eudora native, Meier said she loves finding ways to interact with the community and both of her jobs allow her to have that opportunity.
“I like having a job where I can see people all the time,” Meier said. “Also, I just really like teaching the kids and being around them.”
Reach reporter Ryn Drummond at [email protected]
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