Carlene Kirkpatrick and Charlene Schaefer are two faces that won’t be easily forgotten at Bendix Elementary School. Kirkpatrick has been greeting and assisting parents, students and staff as a secretary since the 1970s. Schaefer has taught art at the elementary school since 1983. “Thirty years is enough,” said Kirkpatrick, who’s looking forward to spending more time camping, horseback riding, gardening and with her grandchildren. Both were sent off in fine style in late May at a district retirement bash. It was held in the high school commons after classes Wednesday, May 24. Administration and co-workers spoke about Kirkpatrick and Schaefer as well as other retirees, athletic director Denny Harmoning and high school band director Zane Schaefer Past retirees, current teachers and family gathered for the event. Coffee, cake and punch were offered as refreshments. “When I was an undergrad at Bethel College I had a professor who used to say, ‘You know who runs those schools? Secretaries run those schools.’ I never forgot that,” Bendix principal Tracy Reimer said. Kirkpatrick earned a name for herself over the years as a “hard, hard worker” who could always be counted on to cheer a person up with her droll sense of humor. She started her career at the elementary school as an aide, what they would now call a paraprofessional, Kirkpatrick said. At that time she was working as an aide in the special education classroom. But she always knew she wasn’t a teacher. “You are either born a teacher or you are not,” she said. “I firmly believe that.” After graduating from Annandale High School, Kirkpatrick enrolled in business college. She was a student only a short time before she was offered a job as a paralegal in St. Paul. But she didn’t like city living. She was a country girl at heart, so she moved home. After a few years as a teacher’s aide, she decided to take a job as an assistant secretary to her mother, Arlene Rozenberg, who had been with the district since 1966. She never thought she would stay as long as she has, but it became a way for her to put her business skills to work while at the same time enjoying the atmosphere of the classroom. “This is a funny place,” she said. “You get involved in it. I always thought I wasn’t like that, but it becomes a part of your life, the people are like a part of your family. You feel like you are leaving your family if you leave.” So for almost 30 years, Kirkpatrick was the face parents saw when they brought their children to school for the first time. Hers was the voice on the phone when parents called to report a child’s absence or to check on school cancellations during bad weather. Students came to know her by name and went out of their way to drop by the front desk to say hi. “I’m going to miss the people and all of the things that go on here,” she said. “Being with kids is always a good place. All of that young energy. It’s very interesting, and never boring.” Charlene, known as Char to her colleagues, began at Bendix as a part-time art teacher. Back then she saw each student about 16 times during the year. Now she teaches art once a week and sees her students about four times a quarter. “Annandale has an awesome arts department,” she said at the retirement party. “The district could have cut programs, but they didn’t. I’m really proud to be a part of the Annandale School District.” Char was always interested in art, although she didn’t always envision herself as an art teacher. She started as a speech pathology major in college because as much as she enjoyed art, her parents were worried she would not be able to make a career out of it. In the meantime, she was getting married and starting her own family. It was while living in Ogilvie that she met an art teacher who inspired her interest in teaching. When she and her husband, Zane, moved to Annandale, she took an adult art class with Julia Barkley. It was Barkley who inspired her to pursue an art and teaching degree, she said. Since then, she has had both her children and, just last year, her grandson Tobias in class. “It was a nice way to end,” she said. “To have Tobias in class.” “I will miss seeing the students,” she added. “What I really loved was the way elementary students are so enthusiastic, so ready to learn. I learned that that is where it starts. That’s where I can have the most impact.” Despite her and Zane’s plans to do a little traveling, boating and spending time with the grandchildren, she still hopes to remain active in the district. She has already warned her students that they won’t get rid of her that easily. They’ll see her around school either volunteering or subbing, she said. In the meantime, she’ll be free to work on her own artwork for once. Zane also retired this spring. He has been the high school’s band director for 35 years. Harmoning retired from the district after 38 years as a coach, teacher and athletic director.
