Kim Wick Decides To Retire From Gehlen Catholic After 43 Years Of Teaching
(Le Mars) — Today, we conclude our week-long series focusing on area teachers with distinguished careers in education, but who have decided to retire. Our final focus is with Kim Wick of Gehlen Catholic.
Wick has taught at four different schools, two of them in public schools, and two with parochial private schools, including 33 years at Gehlen Catholic.
Overall, Wick has taught for 43 years. Wick says being a swimming instructor led her to a career of teaching.
Wick has taught second grade during her tenure at Gehlen Catholic, and she explains how second grade curriculum is vitally important for a catholic-driven education.
School budgets often are stretched, and sometimes because of shortfalls in a school budget teachers may on occasion need to expand on their duties and responsibilities. Wick says in addition to her classroom duties, she at one time served as a physical education instructor, and also a librarian. Wick shares her thoughts regarding her education philosophy and educational goals.
After devoting 33 years at Gehlen Catholic, Wick, like many of the other teachers featured this week has had some multi-generational students. In other words, she had taught both the parents as well as the children.
The Gehlen Catholic second grade teacher, a recipient of the Bishop’s Excellence in Education Award, says she would incorporate a Franciscan style of teaching with focus on natural items and care for the earth. She says she will no doubt miss her students, but her fellow colleagues as well. When she recalls her greatest memories from teaching, Wick reverts back to preparing the students for their sacraments.
When asked what she will do during her retirement, Wick gave a one-word answer.
Kim Wick says she and her husband, Steve, a former Le Mars Community elementary teacher would support each other and help each other with similar teaching challenges and situations. She hopes to travel, and her dream is to visit Prince Edward Island.
Wick says she was fortunate that her second grade students were always in a good mood, which would rub off on her, and put her in a good mood, or brighten her day.
Kluckholn Third Grade Teacher, Sheryl Brooks, Decides To Retire From Teaching
(Le Mars) — Kluckholn elementary’s long-time third grade teacher has made the decision to retire. Sheryl Brooks has been teaching at Le Mars Community for the past 26 years, but her overall teaching career involves 40 years in front
of students. We continue our series of reports focusing on long-term teachers who have decided to retire. Brooks has a few similarities to our high lighted teacher from Wednesday. Like Bill Dalton, Brooks taught in Nebraska before coming to Le Mars
Community.
Brooks says one of her cherished memories was when a student from her days teaching at Ogallala, Nebraska, showed up here in Le Mars, and that student from years past now has a child that had Brooks as a teacher.
Brooks says during her career in education, there have been a few occasions when she had multi-generational students, meaning she had taught a parent, then years later, had the child of the parent as a student. The third grade teacher says she tries not to make any comparisons.
The Kluckholn teacher says she has noticed over the years, and especially since computers have been introduced into the classroom, that students don’t have the interest that they once had about reading from a book.
For many of us, it was during third grade when we learn to write in cursive style. However, the education system no longer places a strong emphasis on learning to write in cursive, and Brooks says it is a shame.
The third grade teacher says she will probably miss seeing the students. She shares her educational philosophy.
Upon her retirement, her first task will be to hold a garage sale in order to dispose of collected items through the years. She says she is looking to spend some quiet time at the Iowa Great Lakes at Okoboji, as well as spend additional time with her grandchildren. We will conclude our series on Friday with a visit with Kim Wick of Gehlen Catholic.
Bill Dalton Retires From Teaching After 46 Years
(Le Mars) — Again, we look at some area teachers with longevity educational careers, but have chosen to retire this year. Today, we visit with Bill Dalton of the Le Mars Community School District. Dalton teaches Middle School Industrial Technology. Dalton says in a way he has made a full circle by starting his career at LCHS (Laurel-Concord High School) and finishing his career at LCHS (Le Mars Community High School.
Dalton, perhaps more so than other teachers, have had to incorporate technology as part of the classroom curriculum. He says his students adapted to the modern way of education, and he admits to enjoying the incorporation of technology in the classroom as a way to keep himself focused and interested.
Dalton says when he first arrived back in Le Mars a couple of decades ago, Le Mars Community was behind in technology in the classroom, but he says the local public school has been able to catch up and now exceeding in technology.
Dalton says he is a man of faith, and believes in discipline, and he incorporates those aspects into his teachings. He says students should respect their parents as being the real heroes of their lives.
The Industrial Technology teacher is a believer of hard work leads to success.
Dalton says he applauds the parents in his story as they recognized their child, although handicapped, would need to rely on himself, and not others.
Rupp To Retire After 45 Years Of Teaching At Remsen St. Mary’s
(Remsen) — We continue our series focusing attention of area teachers with long-term careers in education, but have decided to retire this year. Today, we visit with Cathy Rupp. Rupp has been teaching elementary students at Remsen St. Mary’s for the past 45 years. She explains what initially got her interested in teaching.
Rupp has always focused her attention with the elementary grades through her 45 years of teaching.
The Remsen St. Mary’s elementary teacher says every child has the opportunity to learn, and she made it her educational philosophy to reach out to every student.
Rupp talks about her most treasured memories from teaching Remsen St. Mary’s students for four and a half decades, including being recognized by the Bishop.
Having taught for 45 years at the same school offers the opportunity to teach multi-generations. She says there are many of her students from today that are children of past students. She says there are times today’s students behavior remind her of the student’s parents.
The Remsen St. Mary’s teacher says she hopes to be able to substitute teaching during retirement, but she says mostly she is looking forward to a schedule that she can plan rather than living on somebody else’s set schedule
Lorraine DeJong
(Le Mars) — For many area schools, during the next two weeks will mark the end of the 2020-2021 school year. Although many of the students will return next September, there are some long-term teachers who have decided to retire.
This week, KLEM radio will visit with five area teachers who have
distinguished careers in education. We begin our series with Lorraine DeJong.
Over the course of her career, DeJong has taught for 30 years with the last 20 years at Le Mars Community Middle School. DeJong has focused on reading and language arts.
DeJong says her teaching style needed to change when computer technology was introduced, and students began using laptops, electronic tablets, and desktop computers as part of their daily school work.
DeJong says modern technology is a wonderful tool for education, but at times, she still recommends and prefers reading from a book.
Prior to teaching, DeJong focused her attention on early childhood development, and worked at Noah’s Arc daycare.
DeJong says her goal and educational philosophy every day of teaching throughout the 30 years was to empower the student.
DeJong says she enjoyed teaching middle school aged students and watching the transition of the students as they left elementary school and about to enter high school.
The Middle School teacher says she will miss seeing her fellow teachers.
DeJong says during retirement she will spend more time with her four grandchildren, refinish furniture, volunteer for 4-H and the fair, and looks forward to spending time at the Iowa Great Lakes at Okoboji. Next up will be our visit with Le Mars Community Teacher, Bill Dalton. Other visits will include Sheryl Brooks with Le Mars Kluckholn Elementary, Kim Wick with Gehlen Catholic Elementary, and Cathy Rupp with Remsen St. Mary’s.
(Feature page graphic contributed.)
