(Le Mars) — After being a teacher, coach, activities director and elementary
principal, Floyd Athey is saying good-bye to Le Mars Community. Athey has been with
the Le Mars Community school district for the past 28 years. He is leaving Le Mars
to assume the responsibilities of an administrator for Ames Christian School.
Athey says he will be wearing many hats as the private school’s administrator. He
says the decision to pursue the opportunity in Ames was a fairly recent decision.
The teacher turned principal says he will cherish his many memories of Le Mars
Community Schools, saying “once a Bulldog, always a bulldog”.
Athey further elaborates on his fond memories.
Prior to arriving at Le Mars Community, Athey taught for seven years at Fonda. He
says he has learned a lot from his faculty, staff, and even students at both Clark
and at Franklin elementary schools. His advice for his successor is to “get out of
the way”.
The elementary principal says a major challenge he will face as the administrator of
a private school is to raise the needed funds to sustain educational programs. He
says he will go from overseeing two schools with 600 students to a school that has
only 90 students which includes the pre-school. Athey says he will draw upon his
experience while at Le Mars Community.
Athey will remain the principal for Clark and Franklin elementary schools through
the end of the contract year which is June 30th.
