Don Helmstetter says he's a little embarrassed by all the fuss over his retirement announcement this week. He won't be cleaning out his desk, after all, for another year.
The Spring Lake Park Schools superintendent had announced his intention to retire last spring; the school board already appointed Assistant Superintendent Jeff Ronneberg to succeed him. But this week, he made it official: He'll leave the post in December 2009.
Helmstetter said Wednesday he expects to continue to work in education after he leaves his post, maybe teaching. Those plans aren't well-formed yet, though.
"One fellow asked about my plans for retirement," he said, "and I told him my plans are much more defined for the operating levy next November than they are for retirement."
In his 11 years (so far) as the district's superintendent, Helmstetter said, he's proud of the level of communication and trust built with community and district staff, whether it's had to do with school funding, the building of new facilities or staff development to improve performance in the classroom.
"It's been great to talk to parents and citizens coming up excited about that," he said. "We're glad they're feeling ownership of that process."
MARIA ELENA BACA
