(Editor’s note: The Newsleader would like to thank Amy Trombley for gathering the information and writing stories on which the following summaries are based. Trombley is communications specialist for the Sartell-St. Stephen School District.)
Eleven employees who – collectively – have contributed 256 years-worth of experiences to the Sartell-St. Stephen School District – decided to retire at the end of this school year.
The following are the employees and brief summaries of their experiences with the district:
Baker
Tom Baker started with the district in 1998 and has worked as an Information Technology director and network administrator. Baker has said he could never predict how each school day would be, but he knew no matter what happened it would be fun and interesting. He said he wants to thank the “many great people and friends” he made during his 18 years with the district.
In retirement, he said he plans to help on his daughter’s organic vegetable/livestock farm; rebuild and start flying his paraplane; and spend winters at his place in Arizona “doing nothing” now and then.
Coffin
Karen Coffin was a bus driver for the district since 1996. She said she loved working with all the students and developing a good rapport with each one on a first-name basis. She said she has appreciated working with “so many great students, families and staff members across the district.”
In retirement, Coffin plans to move up north and is looking forward to more time for fishing, hunting, reading and crafting.
Johnson Shea
Since 1988, Deb Johnson Shea has worked a variety of jobs related to Tittle I paraprofessional, special-education para and as a crossing guard. She said she will always remember the rewarding experiences during her time in the district because of the “great students and staff.” On a lighter note, she said she will always never forget the day when she showed up for crossing-guard duty and was still wearing her pale-blue fuzzy slippers.
In retirement, she plans to spend time with family and friends and do some traveling.
Kellerman
Jeff Kellerman, who joined the district in 1983, served as a physical-education teacher, head boys and girls track coach and head girls and boys cross-country coach.
He said he will always value the trust placed in him by the residents, school board and so many families who allowed him to impact the lives of so many students. That trust, he said, is what caused him to work so hard.
Kellerman has been a multiple-award winner: Leadership in Educational Excellence Award, Minnesota State High School Coaches’ Association Girls Cross-Country Coach of the Year, MSHSCA Boys Cross-Country Coach of the Year, a two-time MSHSCA Girls Track-and-Field Coach of the Year, True Teams Track-and-Field Hall of Fame inductee and an MSHSCA Track-and-Field Hall of Fame inductee.
Kellerman plans to spend more time with his wife and to visit their daughter in California more often. As a self-proclaimed “farm boy at heart,” he also plans to spend more time working with nature, such as in his yard-and-garden work and might even consider getting some chickens and a few beef cows. He will also continue to run and to coach the boys and girls cross-country team.
Kororll
Diane Kororll began working for the district in 2005 as a teacher’s assistant and special-education paraprofessional. She said she will cherish “all the great paraprofessionals and amazing teachers” with whom she has worked. She said she especially loved working with the kindergarteners, many of whom called her “Mom.”
That, she said, is when she knew the students really liked her.
Kororll plans to decorate her new home, design a large flower garden, do traveling, visit lots of relatives and have frequent coffee-and-lunch get-togethers with friends.
Laudenbach
Terri Laudenbach worked as media/technology assistant at Sartell High School and as a media assistant at Oak Ridge Elementary School since 1994. The job was made to order because she loves to read. She said she enjoyed meeting the “great staff and students” throughout the years and will always remember when the high-school staff dressed in red to cheer on Sartell High School graduate Craig Sauer when he played with the Atlanta Falcons in a Super Bowl.
In retirement, Laudenbach plans to volunteer at the Oak Ridge Elementary library and at her grandson’s school in Sauk Rapids. She also looks forward to the breakfast-club meetings at the Stearns County History Museum.
Michalek
Carole Michalek joined the district in 1986 in its Food-Service Department and is retiring as the head cook at Pine Meadow Elementary School. She said she enjoyed seeing students every day as they came to the cafeteria.
Michalek is looking forward to time for fishing, gardening, spending time with grandchildren and relaxing.
Miller
Since 2000, Carol Miller has taught music to students at the district’s two elementary schools and at the middle school. One of her perennial highlights was putting the spring musical concerts together – hard work but rewarding since the concerts were showcases for the students’ talents. She said she has long appreciated the chance to be part of such a topnotch district with “great students and staff.”
She is looking forward to resting but also plans to do some substitute-teaching, gardening and traveling.
Perske
Since 1990, Joe Perske has served in many capacities in the school district: a fourth-grade teacher, a physical-education teacher, a sports-medicine teacher at Sartell High School and a Developmental Adapted Physical Education teacher districtwide. He coached varsity girls’ soccer for 10 years, which included two trips to the state tournament. Perske also coached junior-high soccer and was an assistant coach for cross-country running.
Among the highlights Perske fondly remembers are the strong commitments to quality education from teachers, staff and parents; and attending prom with MaryJo Peckscamp, Rachel Miller and Alex Kouragian. During his teaching career, Perske served on the Sartell City Council and later as the council’s mayor. In 2014, he made an unsuccessful run against Tom Emmer for the Sixth U.S. Congressional seat. More recently, he filed to compete for the District 2 Stearns County Commissioner seat.
Rohling
Katie Rohling started her work for the district as a lunch-ticket puncher in 1986. Since then she has been at various times a part-time office assistant, a Title 1 paraprofessional and a special-education para. She also served as a crossing guard for students, ensuring they are safe in all weather.
Rohling was nominated by her colleagues as an outstanding leader and was awarded the Sue Ezell Leadership Award by her union this year.
She will celebrate her retirement with a three-week trip to Tanzania and Zanzibar with her sister. She also intends to do more traveling with her husband, spend time with her family at their lake home and, last but not least, spoil her grandchildren.
Thienes
Georgia Thienes joined the district in 1996 after subbing in the district the previous year. She taught third grade at St. Stephen Elementary, kindergarten and first grade at Sartell Elementary and first and second grades at Oak Ridge Elementary. She said her students “meant the world to her” and noted how she learned from them, as well as them learning from her.
One of her fondest memories is when her first-grade class wrote letters to soldiers deployed in Iraq, then had the chance to connect with the soldiers via teleconferencing. One of those soldiers was able to join the class for an afternoon once he had returned home from Iraq.
Thienes said she is grateful for her “school family” and for the friends and colleagues in the district.
She said she is looking forward to spending time vacationing across the United State in her RV, enjoying time with family and friends, and working with the Central Minnesota Therapy Animal Association by being involved with canine agility.
