Five Falcon teachers will not be returning next year as they start on their next adventure: retirement. “I have always said to myself watching other coaches that when I thought I was starting to get tired I wasn’t going to keep doing it… We had finished on a good year and on a decent note and it was like I had a great bunch of kids,” Lewis said. 

Teacher Laurie Plankers said that she just got to the age where she can retire so it felt like a good time to retire and the best part about the job. “I signed my first teaching contract in 1985… There are more good things than bad working with the kids every single day. That’s by far the best part about the job,” Plankers said.

Teacher Carol Nyclemoe talks about how much teaching has changed over the years. “What teachers are expected to do has nothing to do with their curriculum… so many other things we’re responsible for doing and every year it seems like more and more and more,” Carol said.

Carol Nyclemoe shows her feelings about the kids in school. “what hasn’t changed is honestly the kids and I know like people think that kids are worse now. They’re not, I mean they’re great… Most kids might complain about being in school but I think they want to be here. They like the routine of it,” Nyclemoe said.

Teacher Trish long speaks about why she decided to become a teacher. “I think most little girls when they’re in second grade they think they want to be a teacher and I just never forgot about it,” Long said.

Trish long expresses her emotions about retirement.  I’m not really looking forward to retirement, I’m gonna really miss the kids here and I’m not sure I’m excited about retiring,” Long said.

Craig Lewis speaks about what will happen for him after Olathe South. “I can’t stop working. I’ve got to keep working  for at least eight more years. So I’ll probably end up teaching somewhere else and coach on the side as an assistant, I just don’t want to have the headache of being the guy in charge of all those things and all those questions,” Lewis said.