Principal Dick Kloppel prepares to say goodbye

When you walk into Principal Dick Kloppel’s office you’re welcomed by the dark floors and the five oversized chairs scattered across his office. You can smell what is much like new books, created by the hundreds of papers that fill his desk. Kloppel greets each person with a smile and a hello, followed by the name of the students, teachers, or staff that walk into his office.

As he ends his 15 year stint as principal and 45 years in education, the number one thing that won’t be forgotten is the relationships that were formed. Kloppel can remember any student who he has encountered. That’s one of the many reasons that he was a great principal, and why this year the school worked so well together as a whole.

“This is the very first time since I’ve been here that four classes are so outstanding. Not just academics or athletics. I’m talking about the people. These were four respectful, amazing classes,” Kloppel said.

Kloppel said there have been many staff members who have come to him saying that they are impressed with how friendly the high school is as a whole and how they are impressed with the relationships that have been created.

“That was important to me. When people would come in to my office to tell me how wonderful all of the students were doing together. That is absolutely essential for a successful high school,” Kloppel said.

There will always be students who misbehave and don’t follow the rules, but Kloppel explains that is what he worked the hardest on.
“For the most part, CMR has phenomenal students that work hard each day. Of course there are some that don’t follow rules, but sometimes there’s no solution for those cases,” Kloppel said. “That is where ‘Where relationships lead to success’ came from. That is what is truly important.”

Kloppel has been asked the same question over and over, and it’s one he says is difficult to answer.
“The end of every year is difficult. There are a lot of tears.  It’s been the end of a lot of years for me. This is my 45th last day,” he said. “But this is truly the last. It’ll really hit me when I have to take my keys and hand them off. I’ll go on a long walk around the campus and drive out to the same place that the picture was taken for CMR’s website. And about a week later, I’ll come back and do the same thing. Over and over.”