Sauk Prairie School District retirees, Part IV

This is the final installment of interviews and recognition of the Sauk Prairie School District’s 2020 retirees. It has been my pleasure to be a small part of honoring them.   You are also welcome to visit the Sauk Prairie Optimist Club Facebook page to witness a PowerPoint presentation of the retirees. Since the Club has been unable to meet, except by Zoom, and was not able to honor the retirees in person with a lunch and certificates, this presentation is the Club’s gift to the them.   Connie Swantz   Connie Swantz received her B.S in Special Education with an emphasis in Intellectual Disabilities and her Masters in Emotional Behavioral Disabilities. Swantz also has Administrator and Director of Special Education and Student Services licenses.  Her position in the Sauk Prairie School District was to serve as a Special Education Coordinator. supporting staff and students district-wide, but the main schools she assisted with were Tower Rock, Merrimac and the Middle School. Some of her responsibilities included: conducting evaluations, coordinated specialized transportation and specialized swimming instruction, harmonized students with IEPs and their supports for Summer School, led the testing administration for the Dynamic Learning Map (alternate state assessment) and served as liaison with CESA 5. Her first job in education was at Clinton Middle School serving as an EBD teacher for two years; then she was hired for the Fort Atkinson School District as a high school EBD teacher for 25 years. She also was Summer School Administrator there for four years.  Her memories of the seven years in the Sauk Prairie School Distirct will be “the friendliness and the dedication of Sauk Prairie’s staff members.”   Swantz’s favorite or most enjoyable part of working in education? “I loved the unpredictability on how each day developed. Even though I had scheduled events, something always came up to turn my day all around.” A challenge about working in education? “Right now, it has been COVID-19 that has been challenging. Another challenge has been seeing the growing needs of children once they start coming to school.”  Elaborating on the pandemic she stated, “This has been a frustrating time since I am a very social and ‘hands-on’ type of person. But yet, I am also learning more about technology! It is amazing how some students “changed” through this virtual learning. Some students who struggled getting assignments completed are now doing great. Then some students who have done well academically are now not doing any work. This is definitely a time period which no one will forget.” Connie is proud of being able to “reward and recognize staff members for their extraordinary talents and skills through CESA 5.” Parting words are, “I just want to thank everyone for giving me the opportunity to work with such a great school district!”   Anita Thayer   Anita Thayer has a bachelor’s degree in History/Broad Field Social Studies and English and two master’s degrees (Curriculum and Instruction-Reading and Curriculum and Instruction-Gifted and Talented Education) from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her first job with the Sauk Prairie School District was as the District Reading Specialist. After ten years as Reading Specialist, she transferred to the Middle School where she taught seventh grade English and eighth grade U.S. History. Thayer’s memories of working in the district will be, “My students and my colleagues. Every year I got to know a new group of young people as we explored U.S. History. My colleagues became a second family. I was very lucky to work in such a supportive environment.” “The most enjoyable part of teaching has been working with an amazing group of young people every year,” she emphasized. A challenge about working in education? “I think ACT 10 has had a significant effect on education. I feel fortunate to have been teaching in a district where administrators, staff, parents and the community have a high regard for education and teachers. They worked together to make sure teachers continued to have the respect and the support they needed to continue to provide a quality education to the young people of our district.” As for the pandemic, Thayer said, “Going online was a challenge for me. I had to restructure the way I engaged with students. Fortunately, I had colleagues who helped me adjust my lessons to meet that new challenge.”  “Providing what I hope was a quality education to my students and helping them, in a small way, to prepare for their future,” is what Anita is most proud of accomplishing.    Other 2020 SPSD retirees include Ken Boettcher, Custodian at Sauk Prairie Middle School, Bridges and Tower Rock Elementary Schools (32 years); Jean Giese, Secretary at Grand Avenue Elementary School (25 Years); Pam Schramer, teaching assistant at SPHS (1.5 years, 6 in education); Thomas Steward, School Counselor at Merrimac Community Charter School (6 years with 42 total years in education), and Laura Nolden, Sauk Prairie High School Special Education Teaching Assistant.