Tue, Jan 31st, 2023 - 9:00am
December 10, 2022 - 2:00pm | By Kyle Cornell
(Fargo, ND) -- Some turnover is coming to the Fargo Public School District by the way of resignations and retirements.
The district is reporting that three teachers have filed to resign from their positions, while three more are set to retire at the end of the school year.
Of the resignations, Fargo South will lose two teachers from their staff. That includes Language Arts professor Kailyn Allen and Band teacher Sebastian Tackling. The latter had been on administrative leave for charges related to a possible inappropriate relationship with a student. Louisa Pugh, a Second Grade teacher from Clara Barton Elementary School also has resigned.
Tackling had been with the district for over 12 years, while Pugh had spent four years in Fargo schools. Allen had just joined the district last school year.
Meanwhile, three tenured teachers have announced they plan to walk away from the profession and retire at the end of the school year. McKinley Elementary School Kindergarten teacher Karen Derby, Ben Franklin Middle School Math teacher Julie Feske and Centennial Elementary School 2nd grade teacher Karen Henrickson have all announced this will be their last rides in the teacher's seat. Derby has been with the district for 21 years, while Feske has been teaching in Fargo schools for 36 years. Henrickson is just behind Feske with 34 years of service.
The retiring teachers last day will be June 2nd, 2023. The Fargo School Board will address and approve the resignations and retirements at their upcoming meeting on Tuesday, December 13th.
End of the year retirements are common, but with the ongoing teacher shortage in the area, competition for staff at an all-time high and with the increased difficulties in finding educators to takeover for tenured staff, a challenge is being presented to the Fargo Public School District.
