Waverly-Shell Rock Schools will look a little different come fall after the retirement of eight teachers, nine support staff members and a principal. A ninth teacher passed away during the school year.
“Collectively, this year’s teacher retirees represent well over 200 years of service to Waverly-Shell Rock students,†said W-SR Superintendent David Hill. “We’re incredibly grateful for the time and dedication these individuals invested in our schools, and we wish them all the very best as they move into retirement. Their impact will be felt for years to come.â€
Teacher retirees and their experience with W-SR are:
• Jerry Adelmund, 19 years, high school art teacher.
• LuAnne Bibler, 12 years, family consumer science teacher, FCCLA advisor.
• Bill Eckenrod, 31 years, high school math teacher, basketball coach.
• Paul Mugan, 26 years, high school biology and Advanced Placement biology teacher.
• Christy Steiert, 33 years, most recently as a Title 1 reading teacher. Over the years, she also taught kindergarten-prep, special education, second grade, first grade, and K-1 multi-age.
• Chuck Steckelberg, 18 years, high school counselor. Previously coached football and golf.
• Darren Uhlenhopp, most recently a history teacher, died of cancer in February and was posthumously recognized for his retirement from the district after 30 years of dedicated service. He previously taught industrial tech and coached wrestling.
• Angie Wessel, 19 years, most recently as a fifth-grade literacy/social studies teacher and previously as a fourth-grade teacher.
• Greg Wessel, 13 years, high school vocal music director.
Support staff retirees and experience with W-SR are:
• Ann Brown, 22 years, associate.
• Lisa Drape, 31 years, associate.
• Kathy Duffy, 28 years, most recently as the high school library associate and previously as a special ed associate.
• Martina Harper, three and a half years, food service.
• Lindee Juhl, six years, associate.
• Sue Miller, five years, kitchen staff.
• Arlana Poland, 13 years with W-SR, special education associate.
• Lynn Silber, 30 years, most recently as an associate and previously in food service.
• Karla Wheeler, 15 years as a sixth-grade paraeducator and substitute teacher.
There was one administrator retiree.
• David Fox served 17 years, most recently as the high school principal, and previously as the high school associate principal.
This past school year, the Waverly-Shell Rock School district offered an early notification incentive for early retirement, and all certified teaching positions created by retirements have been filled with fully licensed educators.
According to Superintendent Hill, the school district offered a $2,000 incentive for certified teaching faculty who informed the district of retirement plans by Jan. 6.
“The purpose was to allow us ample time to plan for these transitions and get a jump on recruitment — especially for positions that are traditionally difficult to fill, such as family and consumer science, vocal music, and high school math,†Hill said.
“The incentive proved effective in that it gave us a clear picture of our staffing needs early in the year,†he said.
As a result, the district was among the first in the area to advertise these openings.
“I’m pleased to report that all certified teaching positions created by retirements have now been filled with fully licensed educators.†Many of them bring previous classroom experience.
This incentive applied only to certified teaching staff.
Some non-certified hourly positions, such as associates and food service staff, are still being filled.
These roles are often finalized closer to the start of the school year, Hill noted, as they are hourly positions tied to the academic calendar and tend to attract applicants later in the summer.
New educators will be announced toward the start of the school year, and Hill expressed enthusiasm.
“Looking ahead, we’re excited about the new educators joining the Go-Hawk team,†Hill said. “The incoming group brings a healthy mix of experience and fresh perspective. Some are seasoned professionals, while others are just beginning their teaching careers. We believe that a strong staff includes a balance of both — fostering mentorship, innovation, and mutual learning.
“This fall, we look forward to welcoming them and showing them firsthand why Waverly-Shell Rock is such a supportive and rewarding place to grow professionally and make a lasting impact on students’ lives,†Hill closed.
