Zuger Retires from Waitsburg SB

WAITSBURG – After 24 years of dedicated service, Greg Zuger is retiring from his position on the Waitsburg School Board this year – somewhat reluctantly, he says. The community is invited to a reception in Zuger’s honor on Dec. 9 at 6:30 p.m. at Preston Hall Middle School.

Zuger began serving on the school board in 1991, before his own children were in school, and remained for four years after his youngest graduated.

“It’s been my pleasure to have been on the board. I got to hand all my kids, my nephews, and some of the cousins their diplomas. Jacob (Dunn) is the only one I’ll miss. That’s been pretty cool,” Zuger said.

Zuger said he was motivated to become a board member largely to try and improve communication between staff, administration, the board and the public – something he feels has improved greatly over the years.

“We wanted an open-door policy. I got on because of the kids. It’s about the kids,” he said.

He also had issues with spending priorities and the handling of bonds and levies – concerns that remain today, he said.

When asked what board accomplishments he’s been most proud of during his term, Zuger said there are “so many things.” Among them are the remodels of the elementary, middle, and high schools. But even great accomplishments came with learning opportunities.

“We learned from it and made some mistakes. We were too conservative because of the state matching funds and trying to be respectful to the taxpayers. We should have built another gym and had all the HVAC put in. Our board has always tried very hard to be respectful to the taxpayers and save money, but that’s not always the best approach,” he said.

Zuger said he’s also proud that the district enabled random drug testing for extra-curricular activities until they were forced to drop the program when the ACLU ruled it unconstitutional.

“I thought it was a good thing. We had a lot of larger districts asking us how we did that,” he said.

Zuger says he isn’t retiring because he wants to, but feels it is time to make room for someone else.

“The reason I got off isn’t that I don’t want to do it, but that someone else needs to step up to the plate after 24 years. There is a lot of business that needs to be done,” he said.

Former elementary principal and middle school teacher Russ Knopp will assume Zuger’s chair at the Dec. 9 board meeting.

Zuger said schools have evolved over the years and the district faces different challenges than in the past. He said he is very concerned about small districts and feels legislators have not been fair to the teachers by failing to fully fund education and mandating programs without providing funding. He expressed pride at the fact that Waitsburg has always kept staff over and above what the state allocates.

“I can’t say enough about the staff and how hard they work,” Zuger said. “It’s not about the board, it’s about the staff. The board sets goals and directions and tries to create the best environment we can with what’s available, which would be the money. The staff is really motivated by what they’re doing and I can’t say enough good about them.”

Zuger will no longer be seated at the board table, but he says plans to remain involved.

“I’m going to be engaged from the outside, looking in as a citizen and sharing the concerns of the citizens,” he said.