Tom Thumb Nursery Director Retires After 30 Years

After spending nearly 30 years caring for other people’s children, Bowie’s Tom Thumb Nursery directory has decided to turn in her standard measures blocks and retire.

Diana Noon joined Tom Thumb, one of Bowie’s oldest nursery schools, after spending time at home raising her own children, though her background was in education. Prior to becoming a stay at home mom, she taught elementary school for Prince George’s County Public Schools.

The job opening for a kindergarten teacher at Tom Thumb, Noon said, was perfect. So perfect, she never left, accepting a promotion to director of the center about 14 years ago.

But about a year ago, Noon started to feel it was time to move on.

“My husband retired a couple of years ago and I just decided that I had to do it sometime, and I had some other things I wanted to pursue,” Noon said. “We want to travel more and spend more time with my grandchildren.”

Although noon has enjoyed being the director of the center and meeting all the parents and getting to know the families better, she truly loved teaching.

“The excitement of the children, they are just becoming aware of what they can do, and watching them read and understand things was always very satisfying,” Noon said.

The daily interacting with the children is what Noon will miss, along with her colleagues.

“I’m going definitely miss the staff. It’s a little family here. Most of us have been here a long time,” Noon said.

Judy Carter, head of the 3s class at Tom Thumb, has worked with Noon for eight years.

“She has got one of the best hearts. She’s kind caring compassionate, very understanding, easy to talk to,” Carter said of Noon.  “Most of all I’m going to miss the enthusiastic attitude that she has.”

Noon’s last day at Tom Thumb was June 28.  Donna Sampson, the former kindergarten teacher at the school, is now serving as the director.