Retiring educators pass the baton to next generation

By Ginna Young

As a new school year approaches, kids and parents will begin the rush to complete supply lists, in anticipation of a return to classes. While many of the faces of staff and teachers will be familiar to families, other faces won’t be in the buildings to greet the students.

At the end of the 2022-23 school year, the Cadott, Cornell and Lake Holcombe school districts, all saw retirements of long-time educators.

Cadott

JoAnn Danielson – First Grade

After 31 years at Cadott, JoAnn Danielson’s smiling face will no longer be seen in the elementary school halls, as she’s hanging it up for retirement. Danielson has been a staple in Cadott, graduating from there, before obtaining her bachelor’s degree at UWEau Claire, as well as a master’s from UW-La Crosse.

After college, Danielson taught at St. Joseph Catholic School for seven years, then started at the Cadott Elementary teaching kindergarten. She taught kindergarten for 19 years, then moved to first grade, where she’s been for the last five years.

“So much has changed over the years,” said Danielson. “The biggest change has been in technology. I didn’t have a school computer at my first job, but now we do everything on the computer and the Promethean board for students.”

Danielson says she’s learned so much in her time as an educator, but the hardest part was during COVID virtual learning.

“We had to learn how to record lessons and share them, so students could continue to learn,” said Danielson. “It was a challenging time for teachers, students and parents.”

The good memories far outweigh the bad, where Danielson loved working with such wonderful people over the years.

In her next phase of the journey, Danielson has plans for travel, and in a big way, with a Grecian cruise first on the list. She also has some “awesome” grandkids she needs to spend time with. It won’t be all play, though, as Danielson might sub a little in the schools.

“I truly loved being a teacher and was very blessed to have worked at the Cadott School District,” said Danielson. “I will always be grateful for all I was able to accomplish during my years as a teacher.”

Brian Geissler – High School Lead Custodian

No questionnaire was returned.

Penny Lien – First Grade

No questionnaire was returned.

Joyce Olson – Speech/Language Pathologist

No questionnaire was returned.

Terri Olson – Elementary Principal

There were more than a few tears in the goodbye to Terri Olson, after seven years as principal at the Cadott Elementary School. Olson was very familiar with the district and community, as she served on the board of education, prior to her hiring as the principal.

“I chose to resign from the school board, so that I could apply for the principal position,” she said.

Her educational career began as a long-term substitute for an early childhood special education classroom in the Eau Claire Area School District, and the following year, she took a position as an early childhood special education teacher in Black River Falls. Even though Olson valued her time getting to know the people, it was a long daily commute from Cadott, where she lived.

So, after two years of daily driving back and forth, she accepted a position in the Stanley-Boyd School District.

“My experiences in the 13 years I served the Stanley-Boyd School District, ignited my administrative aspirations,” said Olson. “A lot happened for me, professionally, when I was hired by the Eau Claire School District.”

In the next nine years, she earned two master’s degrees, achieved a second National Board Certification, and principal and director of instruction licenses.

“When I was hired in Cadott, as the elementary principal, I was thrilled and honored,” she said. “I had lived in this community for the majority of my life, raised two wonderful boys (who continue to live and work in this community) and had been involved in many aspects of community life.”

Over the years, Olson was actively involved in the Cadott Community Theatre, Big Drywood Lutheran ministry, Cadott athletics programs, Country and Rock festivals, and Cadott Red Sox Baseball.

“I knew I would retire from Cadott, because I couldn’t imagine serving any other community, once I had the honor of serving my own,” said Olson.

In her more than 30 years as an educator, Olson recalls having to go to a computer lab to type and print papers on dot matrix printer paper, as well as in 1992, having a conversation about something called the internet. Now, kids have smartphones and tablets at a young age.

“Next steps for me, professionally, will be to advocate for families, communities and educational institutions, to be mindful about technology use, for the preservation of our children’s health and well-being,” said Olson.

It was important to her to bring conscious discipline (CD) to the elementary, as it has helped the students and teachers become a school family.

“Using the rituals, routines and structures of CD, has made our school a safer place to learn and grow,” she said. “When I came to the Cadott Elementary, significant behavior issues were persistently and negatively impacting the school day. After our first year of implementation with CD, we reduced our major behaviors by 50 percent and then each year following, we continued to see improvements in student behavior.”

Speaking of rituals, one such ritual Olson will miss, is student lunch dates, because she gets to know the children on a more personal level, hearing about their families, interests, lives, worries, etc.

“I will always remember a comment made by a first-grade student, after she found out how old I was,” said Olson. “In great astonishment, she said, ‘How are you still alive?’ Probably the most epic hug I will remember for all time, is the one I received from the entire fourth grade at the end of our spring concert. After the elementary students sang a song in my honor, the students came down out of the risers and wrapped their arms around me.”

Now that Olson is stepping into her next chapter, she’s grateful to still have her parents in her life and wants to be more helpful with their daily needs. She also wants to be more present for her husband and sons, and plans to hike the Colorado Trail, a thru-hike of over 500 miles, that will take four to six weeks.

“Keep your head up,” said Olson. “Life is up ahead, not found on a screen. Live your best life.”

Pat Rothbauer – Math For the past 31 years, Pat Rothbauer has been an unfailing figure at Cadott, as the math teacher, in coaching positions of track, cross country and wrestling. He substituted at Cadott, for a semester, and when one of the math teachers left, applied for the position. Marty Schultz, the principal at the time, called Rothbauer and offered him the job.

“He called a half hour before the principal at Osceola called me, to offer me a position there,” said Rothbauer. “I am so happy that I accepted the Cadott position.”

In over three decades of education, it stands to reason technology has changed tremendously since Rothbauer started, as changes with the internet and computers have been significant.

“I certainly was thought of as the old guy that didn’t know anything about computers,” he said. “Luckily, my colleagues have usually put up with me and helped me out. These have helped out in the coaching realm, as well, as it is so much easier to get film of your opponents and to make highlight videos of your own athletes. I still think, at times, it is much easier to go have a face-to-face conversation with someone, though.”

Moving forward, Rothbauer plans to continue to coach track and to sub at times. He also plans on traveling around the country, trying to check off as many national parks as possible, as well as visiting his son and his family in Fort Meyers, Fla., during the winter months.

Rothbauer has many great memories from over the past 30 years, watching kids grow and develop from freshman class on, then seeing them years later, to find where life has led them. He’s grateful to all the people, students and colleagues he’s met, for making his time so enjoyable.

“It has been a great ride,” said Rothbauer.

Kris Sonnentag – Food Service

No questionnaire was returned.

Jenny Starck – District Administrator

No questionnaire was returned.

Cornell

Dave Elliott – Middle/High School Principal

No questionnaire was returned.

Caroline Hickethier – English

A transplant from small town Franklin, Minn., Caroline Hickethier has ushered many students through the halls of hallowed learning at Cornell, spending her entire 34.5 years with the district. Hickethier came to Cornell, from Saint Mary’s University, with a bachelor’s of arts in English education.

“Due to declining enrollment and budget cuts, I ended my career teaching more courses and more students each day, in English, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and a reading class,” said Hickethier. “I started teaching before the internet, smartboards, document cameras or cell phones existed. To create worksheets, I used a typewriter to create carbon copies that

I used in the purple ditto machine.”

As the last teacher hired by Bernard Bennett, Hickethier has seen administrators and colleagues move on, but has remained a constant for the students. Over the years, she’s served as a volleyball coach, class, National Honor Society, newspaper and Student Council adviser, as well as many other roles in the school.

With her partial retirement, Hickethier has accepted a part-time teaching position at Bruce High School, and is looking forward to having more time to read, exercise and travel.

“I thought I was hired to teach writing, grammar, novels and other ELA topics, but I ended up forming strong relationships with students, colleagues, parents and community members,” she said. “I appreciate all of the memories and bonds that I formed through the years – all the while, doing a job that I loved.”

Allison Schnobrich – Guidance Counselor

Although her time was brief at Cornell, guidance counselor Allison Schnobrich liked having the opportunity to teach SEL lessons in the elementary school.

“I hadn’t really worked with that age before,” said Schnobrich. “They were delightful.” Prior to being a counselor in Cornell, she was a counselor for an alternative high school program in Eau Claire, until the district decided to end that.

Unfortunately, Schnobrich slipped on the ice this winter, and severely damaged her leg, requiring her to be out of school for a few months. During that time, the elementary students and the sixth graders made her get well cards, and continued their sessions virtually.

“Technology has definitely changed how education happens,” she said. “This is mostly a very good thing. But, in my work in alternative education and to a lesser degree in Cornell, I have seen it become a barrier to success for some students, who become addicted to ‘screen time.’”

Schnobrich plans to focus on her physical therapy for her leg for the time being, and beyond that, she’ll wait to see where life takes her, but wants her students to know she won’t forget them. “I was happy to get to know them,” said Schnobrich. “I would just want them to know that I’m proud of them, I believe in them and encourage them to always do their best.”

Lake Holcombe

Dawn Anderson – Band

No questionnaire was returned.

Rebecca Omtvedt – Kindergarten

Hundreds of students have learned to read and grow in Mrs. O’s classroom at Lake Holcombe, over the 29 years she’s taught kindergarten. For the beginning five years of her career, Rebecca Omtvedt was hired to teach middle school remedial math and reading.

She graduated from New Auburn, before attending UW-River Falls, with many credits of continuing education from various universities. She also coached softball for five years, middle school forensics for 20 years, and did the elementary memory book for 30 years.

From chalk boards to white boards, to smartboards, to everyone having their own personal and portable device, Omtvedt has watched many changes come down the pipe in education, but what will stick with her, are the memories made with students and families.

Some of her fondest times, are the joy and happiness that comes from a kindergarten student enjoying some of the simplest things, like a new box of crayons, being snack person, sharing show-and-tell, dandelions, singing, hugs, skipping, smelly stickers, holding hands, laughing, glitter and listening to stories.

“I could go on and on, but you get the idea,” she said. “I want each student I have ever had, to know that I truly appreciated all the warmth, the memories and the learning that we shared.” For now, Omtvedt wants to enjoy the summer, by doing a little camping, going to a music festival, kayaking, hanging out with family and friends, and completing some woodworking projects.

“The rest is yet to be determined,” she said.

While the end of her time at Lake Holcombe has come, with the closing of one door and the opening of another, Omtvedt thanks the students she’s had for teaching her and to the parents for trusting their precious children to her instruction.

“A little bit of each of you will always be with me,” said Omtvedt. “You are my family and I wish you nothing but the best. It has been a wonderful and rewarding journey. I will forever be LH proud.”