A long, successful tour
30-year Nyssa school veteran Harry Flock prepares to retire as district weathers turnover in other key slots
By Larry Meyer
Argus Observer
Friday, May 9, 2008 12:32 PM PDT
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| Harry Flock, Nyssa School District industrial arts and shop teacher, stands in his wood shop, discussing his upcoming retirement after 30 years in the Nyssa schools. Flock said all his hobbies are tied to his vocation, and he has lots of projects that will keep him busy. |
NYSSA — Change will be a fact of life at the Nyssa School District before the 2008 to 2009 school year kicks off as a number of longtime, well-known instructors depart.
Besides the departure of high school principal Ken Ball and his wife Candy (see a story on Ken and Candy Ball’s future plans online at
www.argusobserver.com) who is a P.E. and health teacher, another husband and wife teaching team — Kimi Casad, middle school counselor and Jim Casad, middle school science teacher — have announced they will retire from the district. Also, Harry Flock, industrial arts teacher, is also retiring after 30 years of teaching at Nyssa.
“It’s quite unusual for a person to stay at a district that long,” Nyssa School District Superintendent Don Grotting said. Grotting conceded the number of individuals that will retire from the district this year is unusual.
“This is the biggest turnover in the years since I’ve been here,” Grotting said. “Larry Ramirez will be recommended as the high school principal. Luke Cleaver, athletic director, will be recommended for vice principal. We will have an opening for athletic director.”
However, Cleaver will continue as wrestling coach, Grotting said.
Besides filling the Casads’ positions and replacing Flock and Candy Ball, “We’re going to have a new vice principal in the middle school,” Grotting said. Steve Phillips, the current vice principal at the middle school, will take a position at the Malheur Education Service District.
An additional science teacher will be hired at the high school to help high school students meet new graduation requirements, Grotting said. The high school and middle school will be getting a new band director, who is coming over from Vale, Grotting said. Other positions to be filled include a social studies teacher slot, a special education position and an English language learner instructor position.
“It’s the toughest job in education,” Grotting said of the high school principal position.
When Flock came up from California to interview, in 1978, Thunderegg Days was going and the family stayed in pup tent in South Park with the Rock Hounds, he said.
“This really is a nice school district,” Flock said. “All three daughters graduated from here. All three were valedictorians. I will miss the students. I will miss my shop.”
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