Barbara Cravatta - 22 years at Genoa-Kingston School District
Jobs at GK: Special Education Assistant at Davenport and High School
Fav GK Memory: She worked with a student in early childhood and now she works with that student again at the high school. Both Cravatta and the student will be graduating and retiring together! The staff are amazing!
Retirement Plans: In June moving to a new house and in July she will be welcoming a new granddaughter. She plans on going to Italy after and spend a lot of time there and travel around the world.
Donna Koehnke - 24 years at Genoa-Kingston School District
Jobs at GK: Guidance counselor, special education teacher, teacher with special assignment (multiple tasks)
Fav GK Memory: The relationships she has formed with the staff and the community.
Retirement Plans: Moving to Indiana to be closer to family. Fishing, boating, camping! Traveling and seeing all the sights in the USA. At some point she is going to Ireland and Scotland.
Michael Lauer - 33 years at Genoa-Kingston School District
Jobs at GK: Middle school PE, High school PE and a lot of coaching
He has coached: volleyball, basketball, softball, golf
Fav GK Memory: He remembers the first regional won in volleyball and how big of an accomplishment it was. At softball, they won regionals three times in a row.
Retirement Plans: Move to Arizona, work at a golf course part time and/or cubs part time.
Clayten Johnsen - 23 years at Genoa-Kingston School District
Jobs at GK: Social studies and science teacher
Fav GK Memory: Winning the medieval fair and ancient empires with his fellow teachers.
Retirement Plans: Traveling and spending time with his wife who is also retiring.
Karen Simmons - 34 years at Genoa-Kingston School District
Jobs at GK: Special Education teacher, a second-grade teacher and as the Director of Student Services, which has evolved over the years to include ESL Director as well as a few other areas.
Fav GK Memory: Watching her own children go through school from K-12, being able to be present for so many important milestones, and seeing firsthand what an amazing education they were provided with at GK by all of the dedicated staff, including those who taught them directly and those who impacted them indirectly. Each role, no matter how big or small, had an impact.
Additionally, she has met & worked with some amazing staff members along the way, many of whom she’s developed cherished friendships with. She has many fabulous and funny memories from over the years!
Retirement Plans: Spending time at her lake house in the northwoods hiking, boating, reading, getting sommelier credentials, and picking up on things she had to give up due to a lack of time like yoga, volunteering, and traveling. She also will enjoy spending time with her kids as they settle into their next life chapters, and she has a new ragdoll kitten to focus on!
Duane Astling - 2 years at Genoa-Kington School District
Jobs at GK: Taught the following classes at GKHS: Co-op, accounting, consumer economics, personal finance and digital literacy
Fav GK Memory: Watching the girls volleyball team go to state!
Retirement Plans: Playing a lot of golf, trains and railroading, traveling