December 12, 2001
School volunteer calls Glenn Loomis home
Bill Weitschat still donating time, talent after 15 years at local elementary school
By Carol South
Herald contributing writer
"Bill, guess what?"
"Bill, look what I have."
"Bill, know what I did?"
Time after time, day after day, Bill Weitschat answers 'his' students with undivided attention, a 1,000-watt smile and a shoulder squeeze before sending them on their way.
A full-time volunteer at Glenn Loomis Elementary School, Weitschat is always there for students who need a friendly face, a listening ear or a little gentle guidance.
Every day, Weitschat is on hand to serve breakfast and lunch, constantly roaming among the tables to talk with and help out students. He also organizes students for safety patrol, bus patrol, gym patrol, hall deputies, cafeteria assistants and daily announcements. The school even named the cafeteria after him three years ago, in recognition of his outstanding commitment, and his likeness graces a mural on the wall.
Even when summer rolls around, Weitschat is back in school for the summer session, loathe to be away from his kids.
"I just can't stay away, these kids make my day every day," he said. "Once you start working with kids you can't stay away."
Blake Goodell, a fourth-grade student, said Weitschat is great to have around. "He is very nice and he gives a lot of stuff to the school," he said.
During his time there, Weitschat has become an indispensable institution at the school. Teachers and staff count on his contributions, which also include accompanying them on field trips, decorating the cafeteria for holidays and buying treats for the kids. He even pays for haircuts or winter boots for kids who cannot afford it.
"I can't imagine Bill not being here, we fight over him in the teachers' lounge," said Sue Zenner, a second-grade teacher at the school. "He is just a friend to everyone, to all the kids. He not only gives of his time and talents, but he buys things for them."
"We're just blessed to have Bill."
Weitschat is a retired teacher, putting in 30 years as a teacher at Guyton School in Detroit, the same school he attended as a child. Never married, he has made the staff and students of Glenn Loomis his extended family for the past 15 years.
Weitschat spent his career teaching elementary school, grades ranging from third to seventh, but found his favorite was kids in fifth grade.
"That seemed to be the age I clicked with best, understood the most," he said. "They're flexible, like spaghetti. You can make them think like adults one minute and take them to fantasy land the next."
Weitschat traces his ties to the area to an aunt and uncle who had a house on Silver Lake. He visited them every summer for years while growing up and grew to love the area. When his aunt was later widowed and in danger of losing her home, he bought it from her, fixed it up and she lived there another eight years until she died.
After retiring, Weitschat moved up north and quickly decided sitting around was not for him. He has been a fixture at Glenn Loomis ever since.
Despite his obvious joy at being there, there's always the big question from many, even the kids: why. Why, after spending 16 years in school himself and 30 years as a teacher, would he voluntarily return full time, year round, to the classroom. For free, no less.
Weitschat said the kids usually know, when they take a minute to think about it.
"I get a number of the kids who come up and ask me why I do it if you don't get paid," Weitschat said. "A little girl guessed it right; she said, 'Because you like it.'"
"She's right, I enjoy it and look forward to it every day. This is my family."