McConkey joins retirement roll

Julie McConkey’s resignation from South Nodaway R-IV was approved at the May 18 school board meeting.

She was the business teacher for grades seven through 12 during the 2022-23 school year before that she taught math. She has taught for a total of 32 years, the last 19 at SN. Before that she taught at Union Star.

McConkey has coached or sponsored the following school sports and activities: high school scholar bowl, 16 years; junior high scholar bowl, 16 years; cross country, 6 years; Future Business Leaders of America, one year recently, five years total; and class sponsor, 32 years.

She has a bachelor of science in education and a master of science in education, both from Northwest Missouri State University.

She is originally from Barnard and is a 1987 graduate of SN.

Her husband is Warren and their children are Marissa (Matthew) Curran, Matt (Shelby) McConkey, Michael McConkey, Mallory McConkey, Meaghan McConkey, and their grandsons are William Curran, Benjamin Curran, Theodore Curran and Lincoln Curran.

Why did you decide to become a teacher? “I saw how much my mother loved teaching, and I knew that teaching would allow me to stay in school… a place I have always loved. I wanted to have the opportunity to pass my passion for learning on to my students.”

Do you have any memories or special experiences that you’d like to share? “The relationships I built with each of my students are the most important things from my teaching career. I have especially enjoyed those moments when students have worked very hard to understand something in the classroom or perform better as a competitor. Witnessing that hard work pay off has been extremely gratifying.”

What are your plans now that you are retiring? “I will be spending more quality time with my family.”

What will you miss most about teaching? “I will most miss the daily interactions with the students and hearing about what is going on in their lives. I will miss celebrating with them their successes both inside and outside the classroom.”

Anything else you’d like to add? “It has been a blessing to look forward to my job every morning for the past 32 years. I have been particularly proud to be a part of the South Nodaway Family that helped make me the person I am.”