Faculty Feature: goodbyes and hellos

Farewells are never easy. As your LLHS says goodbye to two faithful workers, we take a moment to honor them and their work. We also say hello to a familiar face, who will be serving in an additional capacity.

Herr says “Auf Wiedersehen” For over five decades, Gerry Walta has been in the halls of Lakeside. He walked in as a freshman in August 1967. He coached LLHS cross country as a UW–Whitewater college student in 1973. Then in 1978 he returned as a German and history teacher and running coach. He stepped aside from coaching and partly retired in 2016, but stayed on to teach German. Now, he will fully retire at the end of this school year. “Yes, we are on our 10th president and our 6th principal since I first walked these halls,” he says. He’s seen so much change both in the world and on this campus, but some things haven’t changed: “Lakeside has always been blessed with staff willing to go the extra mile. Lakeside students have always been noticeably different in public in the very best ways—in my school travels and activities I have witnessed it many times! Lakeside parents have always supported their children and LLHS with their volunteer time and effort. And always, for everyone, the motivation has been their love for their Savior.”

(EL)C you later, Mrs. Brumm! Darice Brumm is retiring after 22 years in the Extended Learning Center. A 1977 graduate of DMLC, her first call was to Medford, Wis., where she taught grades 1-2 and served as an organist. After she married David, she moved to Lake Mills in 1980, where she taught 3rd grade, team-taught preschool, and worked part time with 8th graders. She began working as a full-time aide in the ELC in 1998. “When the opening for this job came along, it was the perfect job for me,” she says. “I enjoy figuring out what makes teens tick, what kind of learners they are and then adapting a teaching style to fit their needs. Every day I am reminded what a real blessing it’s been for me to be working at LLHS.” ELC Director Ruth Hirschfeld, who has worked with Brumm for 15 of those years, shared that Darice “has touched so many students with her matter of fact, unassuming, no-nonsense demeanor. She has shown me how to have patience both with the students and with myself. The knowledge she has shared over the years, not only in her Biology expertise, but in all of the subjects that we support, will be greatly missed!”

Wilkommen, Frau James! Taking over for Herr Walta is Sara James, who is currently a parttime assistant in the Extended Learning Center. Sara grew up in small towns in southern Wisconsin and moved about every 5 years as her WELS pastor dad took a new call. She attended Northwestern Preparatory School and then went on to Martin Luther College. After her junior year, she was an au pair in Ratingen, Germany, which “allowed me to gain fluency in German, travel across much of Europe, play soccer, and make lifelong friends,” she says. After graduating from MLC, she was assigned as a tutor at LPS, where she monitored dorm life, taught German 2 & 3, and coached soccer. Shortly thereafter, as part of her eight-year obligation in the Army Reserves, she served in Kuwait and Iraq. “I met my husband, Sam, who courted me with lukewarm water and T-rations,” she says. Upon returning to the U.S., she completed her masters in German and Education at UW-Madison, then received a second masters in German from Middlebury College in Vermont. “I completed the doctoral studies coursework at UW-Madison, but discontinued the program after passing my preliminary exams to raise my kids, who are thrilled to have to learn German at home!” she shares.