Dixie Stordahl retires from teaching after 42 years

Dixie Stordahl will retire from the Whitewater School this spring. In her honor, a retirement party was held at the North 40 on Saturday. Gail Wilcott planned out special music and then asked for anyone who wanted to share a memory to do so. A lovely meal was provided with a beautiful cake made by Gale Simonson! Posters were available to write messages to Mrs. Stordahl on her retirement!

The following article was written by Lucas Lawless for the Penguin Press.

Mrs. Dixie Lee Stordahl, after many years of teaching, will be retiring this year. In her own words, "I've been teaching for too long" (since 1971). Mrs. Stordahl has earned a Bachelor of Science Education in Secondary Science with an elementary endorsement and has worked as a tutor, title one,

Home economics, elementary and science teacher for the White-water School. Not to mention, in the summer she worked at the Great Plains Dinosaur Museum in Malta. Truly, she has done a great service to our community.

Mrs. Stordahl was born and raised in Phillips County, and ever since she was a little girl, she knew that she wanted to be a teacher. She wanted to have her own class. so she could throw her own parties and hold her own activities. So she attended school at MSU-B and N, receiving her first teaching degree, and later her endorsement. She taught science for a few years, then quit for a few months. When she came back she tutored and taught kindergarten. She later had a classroom of primary students! In 2007 she started teaching junior high and high school science. Now that retirement is just around the bend, Mrs. Stordahl has reflected over her years as a teacher and has said, "There were moments that were tough, but overall I've enjoyed it." When asked if there was anything she'd like to say to the new teacher, she responded with, "Just keep trying, and if you can't find something, ask the kids."