“As a principal, it’s like having your own kids in
your building,” Keith said. “You have to go out of
your way to try and not show preference, so you
have that idea about not playing favorites.”
Laptops aren’t used in gym class, and Mindy
hasn’t had to deal with a whole lot of change
during her tenure.
“At this age level, they want to be active,” Mindy
said. “We do skills, we do rules, we do strategies,
and they just want to play. That hasn’t changed a
whole lot.”
The Morgans don’t have any big immediate plans
after retirement, save for spending more time
with their two grandchildren. The Unruhs recently
bought a lakefront house in Avon, near Galesburg
and look forward to road trips and cruises.
Both of the men aren’t ruling out a possible
return to teaching, whether it be on a substitute
or temporary basis.
“I’ll miss the socialization with the kids,” Keith
said. “There’s not a day where we don’t laugh
about something, whether it’s at each other, or
with the kids.”
“The staff and the kids have been awesome,”
Tom added.
The women know for sure they are done.
“I’ve always said that if only one of us is working,
it isn’t going to be me,” Mindy said. “I’m going
early, but physically, I need to go. These joints
are wearing out.”
“Because he’s retiring, I thought it was time for
me too,” Jan added. “I’m ready to retire. It’s been
a long teacher career, it seems like. But I just
thought, since he’s going, I’m going to go too.”