Four longtime teachers to retire in June

by Peter Jakey– Managing Editor

With a sigh, Mike Marx, Rogers City Area Schools? Board of Education president announced at Monday?s meeting, ?with a heavy heart we have some employee resignations.? Not just any employees, they are veteran teachers with decades of service to the district. Submitting letters of retirement were middle school teacher Vicki Bruder, fifth-grade teacher Paula Pietsch, kindergarten teacher Barb Ellenberger and second-grade teacher Mary Bruning. Combined, they have 114 years of teaching experience. ?There are not many words that can describe some of the retirements we have coming up here,? said superintendent Jamie Huber. ?To say they would be a loss to the district would be an understatement.?

Huber continued, ?Mrs. Bruder is retiring at the end of the year after 20 years of employment. I can tell you as a principal here, I?ve had the joy of working with her for three years. You are going to be missed terribly. You have some huge shoes to fill.? Looking at Bruder in the audience he said, ?we?ll enjoy your last few weeks here and I hope you do as well. I know there will be a lot of laughs and good times.?

?I?ve always known I was going to teach until 2010,? said Bruder, Tuesday at the school. ?My husband has been retired for four-and-a-half years and it?s time. I?ve had a wonderful time.?

PIETSCH HAS worked for the district for 23 years. ?Paula,? said Huber, addressing her in the audience, ?it?s been an absolute joy. Your work on the leadership team in the last three years I?ve been here, will be terribly missed. I can?t tell you how much this is heart-felt for me.? ?My husband Gary and I are both retiring,? she said. ?Gary will retire at the end of August. This is a good time in our lives to retire.?

Ellenberger is ending 31 years of employment in early June. ?Barb, I want to say ditto, but it doesn?t mean as much,? said Huber. ?We are going to miss you like crazy and I appreciated working with you the last few years. I know Ms. (elementary principal Katy) Makowski would say the same thing.? ?It was time,? said Barb. ?After almost 32 years in the public school, it was time. I want to do some traveling with my husband.

? She said she has a retirement grin that just won?t go away.

BRUNING, WHO was hired by the late Harry Grambau, has the longest tenure at 40 years. She was the only future retiree not in attendance at Monday?s school board meeting. ?It was a big decision,? said Bruning, who has more pressing family matters that need her attention. ?I started in special ed. I?ve taught everything, K through fifth. I can say, I?ve had your mom, I?ve had your dad, I?ve had grandma.? ?There are a lot of heavy hearts here — and tears ? and tears of joy, but it?s out of our own selfishness that steers the sadness,? said Huber.

?We extend appreciation for the many years of dedicated service to the Rogers City Area Schools and the district?s students and wish Vicki, Paula, Barb and Mary well in retirement.? I

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