177 years of education retiring from PCS
Principal Dean Friedel, teachers Renee Marquardt, Lance Wurst and Paula Wurst and librarian Lynda Forney will finish their careers at Perkins County Schools this week after a combined 177 years in education, with 155 of those years at PCS.
Also retiring is Anne Kirkpatrick, elementary cook.
Dean Friedel
Junior and Senior High School Principal Friedel is retiring after 34 years in education.
Beginning his career in physical education and health, Friedel started as principal with his move to Perkins County in 1995.
He spent 15 years as the head coach for high school and junior high wrestling and 17 years assisting, 27 years assisting high school track and two as head junior high track, four years as head varsity football coach, two years assisting and three as the head junior high football coach and one year as the junior high head basketball coach.
He said one of the things he’s noticed as he’s reached the end of his career, are the students he once had becoming friends and acquaintances as adults.
“It’s interesting how the kids I had in my first couple years are now in their 50s, and some already have grandkids,” he said.
As far as education changing over his 34 years, he said technology is one of the biggest things.
“When you go to principal school, they don’t train in you in [social media] because they didn’t have that back then,” he said.
Friedel said in his position, he feels social media has a more negative impact than a positive one, because of the things not only kids, but adults will say to each other without being face-to-face.
“Face-to-face, those things would never be said.”
Friedel said one of the things they’ve been focusing on at PCS for the last few years is training their staff on instructional strategies, which he believes is really paying off.
“Each school does not one thing well, but several things well, and every school has an area to improve on at some point in time.”
He believes each and every school has its own unique characteristics.
Friedel said retirement “will be weird” as he’s been educated or in education for most of his life. As they were practicing for graduation last week, one of the seniors told him he should wear a cap and gown too because he’s finally graduating.
After tallying it up, he’s spent 55 and a half years in education in one form or another.
His plans now?
“I don’t have any. We’ll see what happens.”
Friedel said he’s a planner, and not having a day-to-day routine will be an adjustment.
He and wife Shari have three daughters Alecia, Emma and Claire. Grandsons Bryson, 6, and Jayden, 4, live in Huron, South Dakota.
Friedel said he’s enjoyed his time here, and it’s a great place to raise kids and send them to school.
“But it’s time to turn it over to some young folk,” he said.
Ben Jones of Blue Hill has been hired as the new principal.
Lance and Paula Wurst
The Wursts moved to Grant 28 years ago in 1991 when Lance began teaching art. Paula started in 1997 after staying home with the couple’s two daughters.
While Lance has remained the junior and senior high art teacher since coming to PCS, Paula has taught Title 1, third grade, fifth grade and seventh and eighth grade English for the last 16 years.
With the years spent teaching before coming to PC, Lance has 34 years in teaching and Paula totals 29.
In addition, both Lance and Paula have 34 years in coaching. Paula has coached cross country for 16 years and assisted with track, junior high track and junior high girls basketball. A runner for Doane, Paula missed cross country nationals by just one place.
Lance has coached junior high track for 32 years, 28 of those at PC. Lance said his bad track experience in school is what motivated him to become a track coach, as he realized how important track was for everything.
“I’m very much a generalist when it comes to track and wanted to make it fun. I stayed in junior high to allow myself to stay where I knew what I was doing,” he joked.
He said the only sport he hasn’t coached is wrestling, speaking of the time he accepted a teaching job in Beaver City and found out when he got there he was the head girls’ basketball coach.
“And at that point is when I started looking for a job to get out of there,” he laughed.
With the addition of testing and standards over the years, Paula said she feels it has held core teachers such as herself more accountable.
She said she’s kicking out a much better product because of the expectations put on teachers with assessments and standards.
“Our kids coming out of Perkins County have the same knowledge as everyone else [in the state]. We’re held to a standard and our job is to meet that standard,” said Paula.
Paula has a positive view toward social media, saying it’s made her students much better writers.
The one-to-one computers has made Lance’s job much easier, as students can submit evaluations online and he can upload art projects to Artsonia, an online gallery of student art portfolios.
Both Lance and Paula agree that kids are the same they were 30 years ago.
“Kids are the same. They’re still awesome. People always say, ‘Oh my gosh, kids these days!’ Come to my classroom,” Paula said.
Lance said kids at PC are respectful, know how to communicate and have a rapport with adults.
The Wursts will be leaving PC with too many memories to mention. Paula said something that stands out for her is winning state cross country in 2007.
“Every season has moments that are just so super high, and then there are moments that are humbling to the point of tears. We could sit and talk for hours about that,” said Lance.
The couple enjoys when their students and athletes stop by for a popsicle, which they know are always stocked in the couple’s freezer. Lots of trick-or-treaters will also stop by to visit on Halloween.
It’s the kids they will miss most.
“If you waited until there was a group you didn’t care about...” Paula said. “You’d never leave,” she and Lance finished together.
The couple will be moving to Duluth, Minnesota where their daughter lives with her husband and more importantly, Lance and Paula’s 10-month-old grandson, Sage.
They plan to travel, hike, run and take up new hobbies. Lance also plans to pursue his art.
“We never say goodbye, we say see you later. Call us and we’ll be there.”
PC graduate Whitney (Bottom) Soper will take over as 7-8 English and reading teacher and head junior high track coach. Tristan Stephenson of Alliance will be teaching art.
Renee Marquardt
Marquardt began her teaching career at Perkins County 42 years ago, and all of those years have been spent right here.
Currently the junior high science teacher, Marquardt has held the positions of K-8 and high school physical education, science and health over the years.
She also teaches the junior high robotics team, Spartabots, junior high quiz bowl, and serves as the concession stand coordinator and eighth grade sponsor.
Coaching includes junior high volleyball, basketball and track and high school volleyball.
On how education has changed over the last several decades, Marquardt said technology has definitely had an effect on it, with students expecting instant answers.
“Standards have geared the classroom to a uniform set of facts that have to be covered, there is no longer time for some of the things that are considered outside of the curriculum,” she said.
Her favorite memories include seeing the expression on a student’s face when they finally figure out the answer or understand the concept. Qualifying for state volleyball and state robotics also make the list.
Her students are what she will miss most.
Marquardt’s retirement plans include traveling and spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren, Easton, 6, Emersyn, 3, and twins Jaxton and Hadlee, 7 months.
PC graduate Seth Burge will be teaching 7-9 science and coach high school cross country. He will also be co-sponsor of FFA.
Librarian
Erica Turner will fill the shoes of Mrs. Forney in the position of elementary Librarian. Newly-hired Kristin Borman will be taking the place of Turner in sixth grade English and reading.