An education vocation
By Jennifer Colton - Argus Observer
Thursday, May 10, 2007 3:29 PM PDT
| |
| Fruitland School Board candidate Mike Knee stands with a map of the Roady's Truck Stop in his office in New Plymouth Wednesday. Knee, a retired principal of Fruitland High School, is running against Galen Lee for the Zone 4 position in the May 15 election. |
Fruitland - For Fruitland's Mike Knee retiring from education was not easy.
“I spent 34 years of my life in the Fruitland School District, 10 years as a teacher and coach and then Fruitland High School principal for 24 years,” Knee said. “My whole adult life has been spent in the Fruitland School District. It's hard to step back and away from that.”
Knee retired from the district last June but is now running against sitting Fruitland School Boardmember Galen Lee for the Zone 4 position in the election May 15. Kelly Henggeler is running unopposed for the Zone 5 slot and Jim Smith and Wayne Snavely are vying for the other slot.
“The Fruitland schools have been great to me and my family,” Knee said. “I feel it's time to go back and serve the community. You preach to the kids that it's important to give back to the community. I didn't really have time (while principal). I've got that time now, and I think it's time for me to give back to the community. Hopefully I can do some good there.”
Knee retired from his position as Fruitland High School principal because he reached Idaho's retirement “rule of 90” where his age - 56 - and years of experience - 34 - added up to 90.
“I've always had this idea that I wanted to take the rule of 90 and then retire and get another job,” he said. “I thought I would get another job in education, and I was looking at principal jobs in Alaska. Then Kelly Rhinehart called. He was a former basketball player and student at Fruitland High School. He asked if I wanted to go to lunch and talk about a job opportunity ... so now I work for Roady's Truck Stops.”
Knee works in the Sales and Marketing office for Internet Truckstop in New Plymouth, a job he said he enjoys, but he misses the interaction he had while he worked in education.
“When I found myself at home, not doing those things, I really missed the schools, the kids, the teachers, the clerical staff. I just missed my association with all the people,” he said. “I thought about it (applying for the school board) in the past, but I thought I'd be moving out of the state.”
Knee graduated from Vallivue High School before attending Treasure Valley Community College in Ontario and Eastern Oregon State College in La Grande. He began teaching in Fruitland in 1972, where he has lived since, he said.
“Fruitland is my home,” Knee said. “I have four children who went through the Fruitland schools, my wife is a Fruitland native. The Fruitland School system has been a huge part of my life, and I think it's time to pay back what they have done for me and my family.”
Knee said he also has grandchildren attending the Fruitland schools, so he approaches the board both with a history and a future investment in the Fruitland education system.
“Fruitland is facing some huge growth issues, and we need to manage that growth and be proactive to keep our school system as strong as it is,” Knee said. “I think I have some experience that would help us make decisions in the best interest of the school district. I don't think I have any agenda or particular thing that needs to be changed. I feel like I'm a Fruitland guy, and I want to do everything I can to help the Fruitland School District run smoothly and be a great place for students and teachers.”
mike may wrote on Oct 28, 2009 12:47 AM: