“Gems” of the Week: School says goodbye to 2 teachers after 30+ years

“Gem” of the Week is a special piece on WDAZ News TV that honors special people who are doing special things within a community. The segment airs every Thursday at 6pm and is based off of nominations. Last week, the news crew traveled to Grygla to produce a special on Mike Gast and Beth Kucera, who will both retire from the Grygla School this spring. 

The piece is reprinted with permission from WDAZ-TV.

By Matt Henson, March 2, 2017 

(Grygla, MN WDAZ-TV)

It’s a familiar sound in the Grygla Public School.

The voice of 5th grade teacher Mike Gast, and computer and typing teacher Beth Kucera.

Both of have been at the K-12 school for more than three decades.

“When kids say ‘my grandma said that you did this for her’, it makes you feel a little old, but at the same time that’s a lot of lives to touch and you leave a legacy,” commented Kucera with a laugh. While legacy’s never fade their careers are coming to an end in May. “I think I’m doing it the right way, leave while you love it then it will always be a super memory,” explained Kucera.

“I just want to do something else; I’m going to miss teaching no doubt about it,” said Gast. He came to the school 35 years ago fresh out of college. The dairy farmer from Beltrami was looking for his first teaching job. “That was not my plan when I moved here, I thought I would put a few things in here and move on to other things, but the community has been very good to me and my family,” Gast explained.

34 years ago another enthusiastic college grad came to Grygla. While Beth Kucera is known not to wear shoes now she did have shoes on at the time. “We started with the first green screen computers, and now we have top notch Macs and the kids all have chrome books,” recalled Kucera.  

“They are very knowledgeable and know different ways to teach you, like if you are having problems they know different ways to get you to understand what they are talking about,” explained senior Alison Satre.

Mr. Gast and Mrs. Kucera have been here at the Grygla School so long one of their former students is now their boss.

“I keep him in line,” Kucera said with a laugh.

“They are people who I look to for advice. I trust them and things they have to say and they tell me when I’m doing things that are stupid,” said high school principal Jamie Lunsetter.

When they put down the chalk at the end of the day both Gast and Kucera don’t go home, they put on different hats. Gast has taught drivers ed and coached nearly every sport at the school.

“We want the kids to grow up to be good people, so we want to instill that in the kids first, winning or losing, you have to a good person and work hard for anything in life,” explained Gast.

Kucera, who is more commonly known as Mrs. K or the Queen, is just as active. She has coached volleyball, served as the yearbook and student council advisor for decades, as well as overseeing the school store.

“Mainly because I like getting to know the kids better on a personal level, it seems like when that bell rings at 3:35 and the day is done the kids take on a whole different personality and it’s so fun to get to know them on a personal side,” she said.

The school only has 20 teachers and replacing these two will be nearly impossible. “Finding people who are as willing and versatile as Mr. Gast and Mrs. Kuchera, it’s not about the position but more about the people,” commented Lunsetter.

While both have just a couple more months in the classroom, their love for the kids will never go away. “That’s my passion; every day when I get up, just to do the best I can for the students. They aren’t here for me, I’m here for them,” said Gast.

“Seeing those kids every day and knowing their stories and working with them and seeing them go from here to there, I love that, I love that feeling of being able to help them,” she Kucera.

Both Gast and Kucera say they have not ruled out substitute teaching next year.