Seul Maureen

Seul Maureen, better known as Mrs. Mosey, has been working at Prospect High School for 15 years. After working for years as a security guard and a special education aid with URise, she’ll be retiring after the end of this school year. Although, according to Mosey, it’s going to be an adjustment, she hopes to come back and do some subbing at Prospect if possible with her time.

Q: When did you decide you wanted to be in a school setting for a big portion of your life?

A: “Very young. I was probably 10, no maybe a little older than that. My dad opened a class at Harper College called Business Law and I used to grade his papers for him so I knew right away I wanted to be a teacher. And I come from a family of educators; we are all in the education field except for about one.”

Q: How would you describe your experience here at Prospect?

A: “I loved it. I loved working with students [and] they bring a lot of joy to my life. I also like doing the co-curricular stuff so I worked a lot of football, basketball, volleyball, [and] water polo [games] so I did a lot of sports.”

Q: What would you say your biggest memories here at Prospect are?

A: “I think my favorite memories being at Prospect would be the students. To me you walk in the door and you see the students and I just put a smile on my face. They’re so easy to talk to. I loved being campus security when I started here I got to go to the lunch room, it was probably my favorite part of being security was working the lunchroom and getting to know the kids.”

Q: What was the culture and community like at Prospect?

A: “It’s been great, the kids have been great. There’s a few that you got to sit on and have fun with, and redirect them a little bit, but it’s been great.”

Q: What do you think you’ll miss most about working at Prospect?

A: “I think the day-to-day people. Coming in and seeing my colleagues and seeing the students is going to be very difficult for me. I’m thinking about that now that I only have a month left. What I’m going to do when I retire. I know there’s a lot to do. I have grandchildren; I have two, with one on the way. They’ll keep me busy, but I think just seeing the students on a daily basis [is what she’ll miss].”

Q: What do you plan on doing in retirement?

A: “In retirement I’d like to travel a little bit. Be with my grandchildren and my two daughters and their husbands.”

Q: Where would you like to travel?

A: “Right now I have a trip planned to Florida with my sisters, and my cousins, the girl cousins. Planning another trip with some college friends and just getting out there and seeing the world.”

Q: Are you still going to be living in Illinois?

A: “Yes, I’ll always live in Illinois. The last place I bought in downtown Arlington Heights will be my home forever.”

Q: What’s the feeling like after so many years to be wrapping up your career?

A: “It’s bittersweet. I’m a little nervous about it. I’m nervous [about] not getting up and going. I think [that] the high school has really kept me young and I[‘ve] got to make sure I do the right things with my time.”

Q: So what legacy do you hope you’ll be known for and be left behind at Prospect?

A: “I’d like to be known as a fun person, but somebody that’s really helped some of the students in the building.”

Q: Do you have any advice for students who are currently navigating their way through high school?

A: “Yeah, to really just Get involved. There’s so much here at Prospect that is offered. Between the sports and the co-curriculars … to enjoy their four years here because it goes very quickly.”

Q: Do you think you made the right decision here working in a high school?

A: “Oh absolutely! I came from elementary [school] and I had stayed home for 20 years and coming back to high school was probably the best thing I ever did.”

Q: Why is that?

A: “Just because of the students. I have a great rapport with a lot of these students and I’m going to miss a lot of them.”