The E-S School District recently recognized its outgoing staff members with a retirement celebration. Pictured, left to right, Harold Ida, custodian (16 years); Diane Knudsen, special ed director and teacher (15 years); Craig Semingson, elementary and junior high teacher, elementary principal, superintendent (35 years); Ramona Hanson, bus driver (39 ½ years); Sandy Moore, special ed teacher (9 years); Kathy Thomas, school nurse (11 ½ years). NP—Becky Bundt, school aide, building custodian (26 years).

Semingson reflects on long career at E-S, various roles all yielded good memories

Six retirees also recognized

 

by Beth Kraft

 

The Eleva-Strum Schools said good-bye to seven employees with a total of 152 years of experience with the district at the close of the 2014-15 school year, sending their retirees off with many thanks for their years of loyalty.

Though he isn’t exactly retiring, Craig Semingson has spent his entire 35-year career with the E-S district, during which he served as a teacher, elementary principal, and, for the past five years, as superintendent.

Semingson would be hard-pressed to choose his single favorite part of working in the E-S schools; rather he enjoyed certain aspects of each position he held.

He began his career in 1980 as a junior high science teacher—a subject Semingson says was a lot of fun to teach.

“We used to do a lot of experiments with chemicals and we’d go out and do nature observations,” he remembered.

Semingson took over for a teacher who had been diagnosed with cancer. Fresh out of college, he walked into a classroom that contained no textbooks or workbooks, as that teacher had taught the subject for many years and knew the curriculum by heart.

“I spent a lot of time in the Eau Claire library at the university putting together activities for the kids to do,” said Semingson. “I was kind of on my own and I found it challenging, but very rewarding.”

Semingson also taught sixth grade before moving into an administrative role. In a lot of ways, the early years of his career were Semingson’s favorite.

“I enjoyed teaching the most out of all my positions here,” he said. “Teaching is really when you are most involved with the students. You see the growth of the students.”

In 1989 Semingson became the elementary principal, but he kept his goals as a teacher with him and implemented them on a larger scale.

“As teacher, it was to make my classroom a very inviting place for kids; a place where they felt safe and wanted to learn,” he explained. “As I became principal of the elementary schools, I wanted that as the atmosphere. I wanted students to come in and want to come to school and enjoy school and have it be a safe place.”

As there was no guidance counselor at that time, Semingson also took on some of those responsibilities. From his early lessons with students on topics like friendship came the concept of Friday morning meetings. Now 15 years running, the weekly get-togethers bring Eleva and Strum elementary students together for important announcements and to share important rules, but also to celebrate the positives.

Recognizing birthdays, giving out awards to kids for doing good deeds, and singing songs were some of Semingson’s favorites. Calling attention to special days to honor individuals such as emergency workers, veterans, and even school bus drivers and cooks was also a highlight.

“A lot of that stuff was just fun,” Semingson said, thinking back with a smile. “Being elementary principal, I could have done that for my whole career.”

Semingson might very well still be in the elementary principal’s position had he not seen the need for steady leadership in the district.

During his 21 years as elementary principal Semingson says he worked with six different superintendents, noting the position became a bit of a “revolving door.”

“I thought it would be best to have somebody that was going to stay in the area and not use [the position] as a stepping stone to another school, which seemed to be the case,” Semingson said.

Having obtained his superintendent’s license in case it came in handy in his home district, that opportunity came in 2010. He didn’t relish leaving his position as elementary principal, but giving the E-S schools some stability was more important to Semingson.

While holding the superintendency for the past five years, Semingson says he missed interacting with the students, but the job was “challenging and rewarding.”

Having an extremely supportive community has been a big help, Semingson said.

He first saw that support in 1998 when district voters backed a $7.8 million referendum to allow for major improvements in all three school buildings.

“It passed two to one, which surprised us all,” Semingson remembered. “That told me that the community as a whole really supported education.”

Two operational referendum votes have also passed since Semingson became superintendent.

“Passing two more referendums really told me that these communities really support education,” he said. “What better place would there be to work where you have good parents, supportive citizens, supportive taxpayers and really good kids?”

 

‘I always knew I wanted to be a teacher’

Just as Semingson has a tough time imagining working in another school district, he never considered a career option aside from teaching while growing up.

“From early on, I always knew I wanted to be a teacher,” he said. “It seems to me that the best teachers are the ones that always knew they wanted to be a teacher. They are excited about it; it isn’t a second choice or a fall-back.”

As an area native and a member of E-S Central’s graduating class of 1976, once Semingson received a teaching position in his home district he knew he would be with E-S for the long haul.

“I know the area, I know the kids, and I know the families,” he said. “Why would I want to go anywhere else?”

Semingson’s own children, nieces and nephews, and now his grandkids also attend the E-S schools.

When he first began teaching, Semingson says he never pictured himself as an eventual principal or superintendent in the district. Thoughts of assuming those administrative positions came with time, encouragement and out of necessity.

 

Tech transformations

A big need in Semingson’s mind when he became superintendent was expanding the use of technology in the district.

The E-S schools have certainly come a long way since Semingson received an Apple IIe computer for his classroom in 1984.

That early computer cost about $2,000, Semingson remarked. The software for it was so expensive the district couldn’t afford to purchase any, so Semingson called around to dig up some free software.

Now the E-S district is considered a leader in technology thanks to its 1:1 digital initiative, a concept Semingson worked on together with technology coordinator JB Grangaard and both principals to implement.

“That was probably my number one goal [when I became superintendent], and we did it in two years,” Semingson said.

“Technology really did transform education from the teacher having to know everything and be expected to know everything to the teacher really helping students find the answers,” he added.

 

Future ambitions

Semingson planned to consider his next career move while taking the summer off—something he hasn’t been able to do in years. Hiring new staff and working on the next year’s budget have always filled his summers in past years.

“I’ve gained a lot of knowledge and skills over the years in education and I still think I can use that, but I’m not exactly sure how and where,” he said.

As many longtime educators often say, working with the students and staff at Eleva-Strum will be one aspect Semingson will miss the most.

“I think we’ve had a phenomenal staff over the years,” he said.

Semingson says he will also miss working with local reporters, noting he has always been willing to share district happenings with the region, no matter what the topic.

Working to be as transparent and open about subjects as possible, “both the good and the bad,” was a goal Semingson kept well in mind over the years.

“The press has been very generous to this school district,” he said. “I don’t think we’ve had bad press, and I appreciate that.”

While Semingson is moving on from E-S and the only career he’s ever known, his wealth of experience in multiple roles in education are likely to open doors in a number of areas where he can be of assistance as needed, whether it is for a local CESA office or in the private sector.

“I have several options out there,” Semingson said.

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