Sewanhaka superintendent announces retirement

Warren Meierdiercks, Sewhanaka’s Central High School District superintendent for the past five years, recently announced he will retire on June 30.

Once a student in the Sewanhaka school district, Meierdiercks served the district in different roles for 37 years, including as a teacher, chairperson, basketball and baseball coach, assistant superintendent for finance and operations, and superintendent. He announced his intent to retire on Dec. 20.

“My career in the Sewanhaka District has been one of my life’s greatest blessings,” Meierdiercks wrote in his resignation letter to the school district.

“A graduate of Sewanhaka High School, I have always felt myself fortunate indeed to have been chosen to work in the school district I attended, and in the community I have called home. And I will never be able to truly convey to you how proud I have been to be your superintendent.”

Meierdiercks said he is retiring with mixed feelings since he feels a strong connection to the community and the Sewanhaka school district, of which his wife is also a graduate.

“It was a very difficult decision to reach,” he said, adding that although he knows the district will be in good hands and continue to thrive, he wishes his departure could be at a time when the economy was more prosperous and stable.

“Nothing would have made me happier than to have been able to provide our faculty with more resources and our students with additional programs and support,” he wrote in the letter. “In the remaining months of my superintendency, I assure you that I will do everything in my power to provide for the future well-being of our schools and communities.”

Jean Fichtl, president of Sewanhaka Central’s board of education, said a search committee is in the process of selecting Meierdiercks’ replacement, and the board is hoping to bring a new superintendent on board in April in order to conduct training alongside Meierdiercks before his departure.

“I’m sure whatever decision the board makes is going to be in the best interest of the students, the staff and the community,” Meierdiercks said.

He added that after retiring, he is planning to relax and do some traveling in Europe.