Dero retires after 46-year teaching career

Although it was difficult, Lois Dero retired from her job as Technology teacher in Minneota after 46 years following the third day of school last week.
"My last day could not have been any better," she said. "It was perfect. The administration, staff and students made that day so special for me."
Minneota staff members presented Dero with a flower throughout the day and offered her well-wishes. At the end of the day on Wednesday, Aug. 24, the students and staff all cheered and clapped as Dero walked through the hallway as teacher for the final time.
"Summer for the technology department is the busy time of the year," said Dero, when asked why she waited until the third day of school to officially retire. "My technology co-worker (Devann Shultz) was on maternity leave this summer and I was asked if I would help out this summer to make sure we were ready when school started. With two new administrators starting this summer (superintendent Scott Monson and high school principal Heather Anderson), it seemed like the thing to do. Besides, I like my job."
The first days of school are also a busy time for the technology department with devices being handed out to the student and assisting them with their new secure passwords."Now that Devann is back, the department is in good hands," Dero remarked.
The Minneota area has always been home to Dero, who grew up in the country between St. Leo and Porter. She attended Canby High School.
"My plan after graduation was to go to dental school, but all that changed when I was getting my teeth fixed by Dr. John Schulte," Dero said. "He asked me what my plans were after I graduated and I told him I planned on going to dental school. He proceeded to ask me if I would be interested in working for his son (Dr. Robert Schulte), who was just graduating from dental school. I said ‘yes’, set up a meeting to meet him and I was hired."
Dero then took a job as St. Edward Parish Secretary as a Title I Aide, now referred to as a paraprofessional. Daren Gislason was in charge of the Title I program at the time for both the Minneota Public School and St. Edward Catholic School and hired Dero in 1977.
In 1982, Minneota Principal Bruce Johnson contacted Dero and told her about a full-time position open at the public school.
"I agreed to that position because our son was going to kindergarten that year," she said. "I worked as a paraprofessional until 2000 when the superintendent (Orlynn Wiemers) approached me and asked if I would be a computer supervisor and help with the tech problems."
Even though Dero told him he was asking the wrong person because, "I have problems putting in a floppy disc correctly", Wiemers was not taking "no" for an answer. That was the beginning of Dero's technology teaching career.
"I guess I was ready for a new challenge," she said. "Because I did not have any schooling for technology, I was thankful that I could reach out to SW/WC Service Cooperative technology staff for help."
As technology was constantly changing each year, Dero was doing her best to keep up.
"First, it was IBM computers with the big floppy disc, then to the Windows 3.0 with the small floppy disc," she explained. "Now we have Windows 11. From analog phones to ip phones, and from white boards to SMARTboards and now to interactive television."
Because of the pandemic, distance learning brought on new challenges, too, for Dero and the staff.
"For now, I am just happy with the little things in life like enjoying the warm days, tending to my flowers, going for walks, riding my bike, and spending more time with family and friends," she said.
Dero and her husband, John, celebrated their 50th anniversary this past May. They have two children, Melissa and Adam (and their significant others) and five grandchildren. Their first great-grandchild is on the way.
"John and I will do some traveling while we still can,” she said. "I know I will not be bored."
Still, Dero admits that she will miss being at school with all the kids and her co-workers,
"To make it even more special, one never realizes the connections you make with the students until they come to your house with fresh-baked cookies and a homemade card wishing you a happy retirement," she said. "Or the big hugs from the little ones when they see you on the street or in the stores and tell you they will miss you have my job a blessing. That's why I loved my job and it was hard to retire."