Good-bye, Jane

By Pam Reinig

Register Editor

Members of the Class of 2016 aren’t the only ones who won’t be returning to Central in August when the next school year begins. Longtime counselor Jane Metcalf won’t be there, either. Jane is retiring after 26 years at Central and more than three decades in education.

“I was the first elementary counselor (at Central) and so far, the only one,” she says with characteristic humor. “There’s a lot I’m going to miss but mostly the students—their greetings, smiles, hugs, updates and random conversations.”

A Northeast Iowa native who was born in McGregor and raised on a farm near there, Jane earned both her undergraduate (family consumer science education) and graduate (K-12 counseling) degrees at the University of Northern Iowa. She worked first as a long-term substitute in Garnavillo and later split her time as a counselor for that school and Central. She was hired full-time at Central in 1999 as a K-5 counselor and curriculum director. In 2011, she became a full-time K-12 counselor.

Change is an inevitable part of any job and Jane has seen more than a small amount of it during her career. In the beginning, she created units to explore concepts like how kids are socially and physically alike and different. More recently, she’s emphasized core curriculum for careers, which she supplements with materials on wide-ranging topics like test preparation, diversity and bullying. There’s been a change in her use of small-group work, too, as the demands on her time have made it more difficult to gather groups together. Other changes include a focus on teaching social skills to elementary students, use of data to determine counseling needs, offering more experiences to help students explore post-graduation options and educating students on mental health issues.

“Something that has not changed are the times when you are one-to-one with a student and they decide you are worthy of their trust,” she continued. “It’s like there’s nothing else in the world going on except that conversation. It’s a powerful bond that I have felt many times. I always feel honored by the sharing and often tell student this at some point in our conversations.”

When asked to narrow her work with students to the top things she’s done for them, Jane rightfully mentions her accessibility—she’s been known to send emails at an hour when everyone else is fast asleep—and her responsiveness. For example, when high school counseling was added to her workload, she responded by taking a class on career counseling. She also listed her commitment to mentoring as a top achievement.

“Many year ago I read an article on how little time it takes to make an impact on a person’s life,” she said. “Mentoring at Central is in large part inspired by that idea. I am grateful to the students and adults who over the years have given of their time, energy and caring to support another student.”

People who know Jane would not be surprised to learn that her retirement schedule is full. She wants to spend more time with her family, which includes five active and adorable grandchildren. She also wants to pursue hobbies like cooking, reading, traveling and gardening, and she hopes to do some local volunteer work. She also plans to do some subbing and teach a course or two for NICC at Central.

Jane’s care, concern and fondness for her colleagues and students is obvious—and it’s reciprocated by her peers. High school principal Dan Yanda gives her high marks, noting that she “has put her heart into her work as counselor at Central since I’ve been here, and truly has been a student advocate for issues that have come up over the duration of any school year. She has found time between balancing multiple roles in the district to be student-centered and a voice of reason. I will miss her diligence that she has given to the counseling position at Central.”

Teacher Tracy Follon expressed a similar sentiment: “Jane will be greatly missed.  Her kindness and smile is something I will always remember at Central. She has had to deal with some very difficult situations as a guidance counselor.  However, her leadership through these times was very comforting to all.  I wish you all the best as you begin a new chapter in your life.”

Superintendent Nick Trenkamp spoke of the undeniability of her passion for the students and families of Central Schools. And, finally, a colleague who asked not to be identified shared this touching tribute: “Her presence will be missed by all. Her professional demeanor is a model for all educators.”