Gratitude and Farewell

CCS retirees moving on to their next stages

A few of our beloved staff members recently crossed the threshold into retirement, bidding farewell to their students, colleagues, and the careers to which they dedicated themselves for many years. Below, we share their reflections, wisdom, and stories to inspire our community and honor their lasting gifts of service.

Shelly Flynn

Middle school phy-ed teacher and campus minister at Cathedral for 20 years

What will you miss the most about working here?
I really cherish the great educators and staff I have been blessed to work with over the years. We have had, and still have, amazing teachers at Cathedral. They have been great mentors and friends, and I will miss them!

What’s one school tradition you’ve always loved?
I graduated from Cathedral in 1980. Being a cheerleader and part of the Pep Club, I was all about promoting school spirit. So I have always loved our Homecoming Week, Catholic Schools Week, and, of course, singing the school song.

Did you have a “go-to” secret to surviving stressful days?
In the twenty years I have worked here, there has always been a school chapel somewhere in one of the buildings. I love to stop in to pray anytime and ask Jesus for His peace and help for whatever is happening.

What are you looking forward to most in retirement?
It will be wonderful to spend more time with my six grandchildren and my husband. We also plan to travel, play pickleball more, and golf with friends.

What advice would you give to the next generation of educators?
Keep your expectations high, and students will rise to meet them. Our students want to excel and be excellent — they just need someone to hold out the challenge and help them succeed.

Tammie Thyen

5th-grade teacher and preschool paraprofessional at Saint Katherine Drexel for 17 years

What will you miss the most about working here?
I’ll definitely miss all of the wonderful people I’ve worked with over the years. They have become an extension of my family. Even though I’ll still see them on occasion, it won’t be the same as being with them on a daily basis.

What’s one school tradition you’ve always loved?
Going to weekly Mass. I love watching the students deepen their faith, take active roles in the Mass, and gain confidence while being in front of the congregation.

What are you looking forward to most in retirement?
My husband and I have our first grandchild arriving this fall, and we can’t wait to be grandparents. We also plan to spend more time at our lake place, travel, and enjoy time with family and friends.

What advice would you give to the next generation of educators?
Build relationships with your students. Take an interest in what’s important to them. Ask them questions about things they do outside of school. Show them you care. Laugh with them. Have fun with them. These relationships will go a long way in making the time you spend together more enjoyable for both you and your students.

Cheri Berg

Fifth, third, first, preschool, and art teacher at Saint Joseph Catholic School (St. Joseph Lab School, All Saints Academy) for 33 years

What are you most proud of in your career?
I am most proud of founding and developing the St. Joseph Montessori Preschool in 1998.

What lessons have your students taught you?
The students have kept me smiling throughout my years. I came home with an amusing anecdote every day. The honesty, innocence, and lack of filters of young children filled my job with laughter and joy.

What’s one school tradition you’ve always loved?
My own children were the third generation to attend school in St. Joseph and Cathedral. Although I have witnessed many traditions through the years, my personal favorite is the Seder Meal.

If you could go back and give your younger self one piece of advice, what would it be?
I feel like I’ve had a full-circle career. I started college as an art education major, but added Early Childhood and Elementary Education and took that path. When I decided to leave my full-time position, I was blessed to be able to teach art to all the students in the school — most of them former preschoolers. I went back to my initial dream, and it did not disappoint. It was the perfect bridge before full retirement.

Do you have any retirement goals or dreams you’re excited about?
It is now time to spend more time enjoying my grandchildren and focusing on the arts I enjoy. I hope to travel more and work on that list of 100 books everyone should read. Maybe I’ll start that book people have encouraged me to write....