Two More Teachers Opt For Early Retirement At EPS

The District #18 Board of Education have two more positions to fill for the 2016/2017 school year.
Two months ago, the school board established that they would consider five applications for early retirement. Three were approved in January and two more were approved last week.
Dianne Gunder-son and Shirley Thorberg, both longtime teachers at EPS, will retire as teachers when the school year concludes in May.
On a six-to-zero vote, the board approved their applications, joining Brenda Siems, Jeane Johnson and Barb Bode whose applica-tions were approved last month.
Gunder-son has been a teacher at EPS for  37 years.Thorberg has taught at Elgin Public for over 40 years.
New Instructor Hired
With five positions to fill before the 2016/17 year begins, the board filled one position at the meeting. Becky Lindgren, who lives near Loretto, was hired to fill the mathematics position which came open with Johnson’s retirement. She currently teaches math at Northeast Community College.
Superintendent Dan Polk said she has “tremendous recommendations.
Mrs. Lindgren and the other new teachers replacing the retirees will have some big shoes to fill in terms of experience. Polk said 187 years of teaching experience will be walking out the door for good at the end of the spring semester.