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After 38 years in education – with time evenly divided between teaching and administration – Sibley East Senior High School principal Jim Swanson is retiring. His last day “on the job” will be June 30.

A South Dakota native, Swanson was graduated from Baltic, South Dakota, three miles north of Sioux Falls. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in history and political science from Dakota State University in Madison, SD.

After earning his bachelor’s degree, Swanson was employed 19 years in the Le Center School District, teaching history, economics, sociology, and geography, and coached cross country, track and basketball. He earned his master’s degree in history from Mankato State University in 1987, and in 1988 earned his six year certificate in educational administration.

Swanson began employment for the Gaylord School District in the fall of 1989. He served as the last principal of Gaylord High School. He recalled the year as having many “last events” for the school. In the fall of 1990, when Gaylord and Arlington-Green Isle began pairing and sharing, he served as a the Junior High principal at the Gaylord campus for four years. After Dennis Bergner retired as the Senior High principal, Swanson was asked if he wanted to transfer to the Senior High, and he agreed.

“I loved the Junior High,” Swanson recalled. “You could do any crazy thing and they’d do it,” he commented. “At high school, kids become more sophisticated. The students (at the Junior High) are full of excitement all the time.”

“I had really good times when I was teaching – going through events with kids and living it with them. With coaching, you get to know the students even more and get a lot closer than in the classroom,” Swanson said.

“Administration is a lot different. You don’t get to know the kids as closely as you did before,” Swanson commented. He got to know students because of things they were involved in – good and bad.

“We still have kids that are hard workers and kids who struggle, but I see kids taking less responsibility for what they do,” Swanson said.

Another change that Swanson has noticed that there seems to be more break up of the families and there are more students with one parent. “Schools have taken on more of the parenting roles,” he said.

Another change is that there is now testing of students practically year round. “The down side, is, after awhile, the kids don’t buy into it and there is no incentive for them to do well.”

A fourth change Swanson has witnessed is the increase in technology. Grading is done on the computer and parents now have access to the grade book. Sibley East now has four computer labs at the Arlington campus, and when he started as Senior High principal, there was one lab.

“I’ve always thought that the communities supported the school here. That is not the case in all districts,” Swanson said. “I also think that the high school staff right now is one of the best I’ve worked with. They do their jobs, and they are professional and sincere with their actions with students. It has been an excellent place to work.”

After retirement, Swanson plans to work with Minnesota State University, Mankato, possibly teaching night classes or working with student teachers.

His wife, Margi, will continue to work as the head of x-ray at the Hutchinson Medical Clinic. Daughter Sonja, who is completing her third year of teaching at Sibley East, will be moving to Tulsa, OK to attend Bible college.

Son Ben is a pilot with Northwest Airlines and with the Air National Guard. He and his wife, Mylene, live in Mound.

Daughter Annika recently returned from a one year mission trip to Australia and is now looking for work.

Swanson also has two grandchildren.