CROTHERSVILLE — Doing the math, those retiring from Crothersville Community School Corp. last year and this year adds up to 225 years of service.
One of the retirees, Cheryl Nehrt, who was a math teacher, would be appreciative of that reference.
She was among nine people honored during the inaugural end-of-year-banquet and employee retirement recognition May 17 in the school cafetorium.
Interim Superintendent Robert Hooker led the organization of the event, during which dinner preceded a presentation of plaques.
Eunice Lacey and Jean Stark led the way with 41 years apiece, followed by Holly Sweany with 36 years, Terry Goodin and Sandy Law with 24 apiece, Michele Teipen with 20, Nehrt with 19, Dale Schmelzle with 16 and B.J. McLain with four.
Nehrt, Sweany, Schmelzle and McLain were unable to be there. Sweany was an elementary school teacher, and Schmelzle and McLain both served on the board of school trustees.
Lacey was a cashier in the school cafeteria, and Stark was a special education teacher’s aide.
“It has been a good 41 years,” Lacey said. “I know I met a lot of good students. I enjoyed the faces as they smiled. Even out on the street outside of school, they’d say, ‘Do you know me?’ That’s so precious. I really enjoyed Crothersville schools.”
Stark’s message to those gathered was short and sweet.
“I’m going to miss everybody,” she said.
Goodin retired earlier this year as superintendent. He offered many thanks after receiving his plaque.
First, he thanked the community members who put their confidence in him to ensure the best opportunities were available for their children when they graduated.
“My biggest goal when I came in as superintendent of Crothersville is the same kind of issue that you deal with at a lot of the smaller schools. A lot of folks say, ‘I don’t want to go to a smaller school because you can’t do this or that,’” he said. “Our No. 1 priority when we came in as an administrative team, we said that if a child walks out of these doors, they will be able to say, ‘I can do that because I went to Crothersville.’”
He thanked former principal David Schill for helping create the Austin Crothersville Early College Initiative, which allowed students at Austin and Crothersville high schools a chance to earn an associate degree in general studies from Ivy Tech Community College before they graduate from high school.
Now known as The University Academy, the program continues to save students money and time in college if they pursue a higher educational degree.
Goodin said they also pushed the vocational opportunities at C4 Columbus Area Career Connection, which gave students an opportunity to earn certifications and licenses by the time they graduate.
“We wanted to make sure we opened all of the doors for opportunity for all of the kids that came through our school,” he said.
Goodin also thanked teachers for caring and working as a team.
“We all know the No. 1 job, you make an impact on the children that you come into contact with, and people come
in here and work their butts off every day and give everything they’ve got, they’re tired and come back the next day,” he said. “I know every boss across the United States, no matter what profession they are in, appreciates that, and I was one of the lucky guys. I was able to say that happened here at Crothersville every day.”
He thanked his “super squad,” too, also known as the administrators, saying they were always willing to accept his “crazy thoughts and ideas.”
“At small schools, you can’t just be the same as everybody else. You have to be better, so we always had to make sure that we were better performing than all of the other schools around,” Goodin said. “The administrators, the principals were ready to do that, and it’s a tough job.”
He also praised his central administration building staff, Terry Richey and Annette King.
“They run an entire school corporation, the two of them. That is unheard of. They absolutely are incredible,” Goodin said. “They let me be able to be a superintendent and worry about instruction and worry about the things that superintendents really need to worry about, and they were able to handle the business side of that. … If you go to eat lunch every day and get your paycheck, they are the ones that make it happen.”
Finally, Goodin recognized his wife, Darcie Goodin, for supporting him during his time as superintendent.
“You can’t do this kind of job and do it well without support, and as a superintendent, you need to have support of all of the people that you work with, and especially, you need to have support of your family,” he said. “She’s a real trouper. She was raised in an educational family and understands. She has been a great support of mine the last several years.”
In closing, he encouraged Crothersville staff to keep up the great work.
“Crothersville schools have a very special place in my heart, and I will take that with me to the grave,” Goodin said. “I am always proud of Crothersville schools. Every time I look at school things, obviously, I look at Crothersville first to make sure everything is going good and things are Johnny-on-the-spot, and it’s always going to be, I know. … Godspeed to Crothersville schools and all of you.”
Of Law’s 24 years with the corporation, she said she spent six years as head cook.
“I just want to thank everyone for this opportunity,” she said after accepting her plaque.
Teipen said Richey asked her 20 years ago if she was interested in cleaning the central administration building, and she agreed.
“I thought that might be a good way to pay for a car, so I thought, ‘OK,’ and since then, I’ve bought three cars, so I was very appreciative,” she said, smiling. “Thank you all so very much.”
Hooker said the inaugural event went very well, and it was nice to have the former superintendent and incoming superintendent there.
Chrystal Street, a Crothersville alum, recently was hired as the corporation’s next leader.
“I feel very honored to be up here today to celebrate retirees,” she said. “I was fortunate to be able to work with about every single person that retired in some capacity except Michele, and she was in the other building. I know the dedication and commitment from these people, and I’m very grateful for them being a part of Crothersville Community Schools. I truly hope that these years of retirement are the best yet. Thank you so much for what you’ve done.”