Five Gallatin teachers — Louise Bird, Jean Dustman, Wes Strange, Dan McCann and Dennis Steigerwalt — have retired from education with the close of this school year.
This website brought to you in part by the following sponsor:
Together they taught for 120 years. Jean Dustman will retire from full-time teaching, but will return as part-time teacher next year. Bert Swopes, maintenance supervisor, is also retiring. A retirement celebration was held for them at the Gallatin school on May 24.
Bert Swopes, head custodian, has worked nine years in Gallatin. Before that he worked six years at Landmark and 26 years with the railroad.
Jean Dustman has been in education for 22 years. She taught eighth grade and high school math at Gallatin for two years. Before that she taught for 20 years at Trenton, Princeton and Laredo.
Louise Bird has taught for 32 years, two at Tipton and 30 at Gallatin.
Wes Strange has been in education for 23 years. He started in the 2008-2009 school year at Gallatin in agriculture education for 7-12. Mr. Strange taught at Tri-County at Jamesport for nine years and at Cameron for 11 years. He worked for the MFA Livestock Association for 12 years.
Dan McCann taught in two different high schools in Montana for six years, before coming to Gallatin in 1987, where he has taught science and coached for 24 years, making 30 years in education all together.
Dennis Steigerwalt has taught science for the past 25 years at GHS. He taught for 10 years in Iowa before moving to Gallatin, for a total of 35 years in education.