Thank You Retirees. You Will Be Missed.

Posted on: Jun 1, 2023

If you have had children in the Delano Public Schools Preschool Program or in the elementary school within the past 22 years, chances are pretty good you have interacted with paraprofessional Tracy Herkenhoff or administrative assistant Cindy Selchow. Combined, the two employees, who will retire at the end of the 2022-2023 school year, have more than 45 years of working with most of the school district's students. 
 

Tracy Herkenhoff 

Giving a child with special needs the same direction multiple times, redirecting and a calming child who is frustrated, or reminding a student how to clean up after him/herself, many times a day, does not faze Tracy Herkenhoff; in fact, it's the variety and unexpected nature of her work that has kept her at Delano Public Schools (DPS) for 24 years. Herkenhoff is a paraprofessional who works alongside teachers to educate and support students with special needs. 
 

Twenty-four years ago, after witnessing the exceptional care and support her first grade son received at Delano Elementary School (DES), Herkenhoff decided she wanted to leave her in-home daycare business and help students with the same tender care that her son received.  Herkenhoff began her DPS career as a special education paraprofessional in the district's preschool program. Later in her career, her responsibilities morphed into also providing support services for special education students at the elementary school. 
 

Herkenhoff’s position description states her responsibilities are to support students with special needs which may include academic, social, behavioral, and functional needs. Referring to the students she works with as “her kids,” the seasoned veteran admitted that she has learned a lot from the students she has worked with. “My kids have taught me to not take things too seriously, to have fun and to do things differently,” said Herkenhoff. “As I am teaching them how to be advocates for themselves and how to think critically, they are teaching me how to laugh, how to be flexible, and how to get through the day, one moment at a time.” 
 

Taking a pause, with a humble smile on her face, to mention the child crying in the hall was her student looking for her, Herkenoff said the kids and her co-workers were a key factor in her longevity. Her co-workers feel blessed to have Herkenhoff on their team and some said she is the reason they are able to do their job. Natalie Dinger, Early Childhood Special Education Teacher, has worked with Herkenhoff for her entire 18 year career. Dinger thinks Hernkenhoff has taught her and others to be better educators and to be better people. “Tracy is a loyal, calm presence for kids and teachers,” said Dinger. “Tracy is an advocate for all kids. She will always put kids first. She greets students in the morning and sets them up to have a successful day. No matter the circumstances she will always put kids first.” Tracy is also known throughout both buildings for her warm nature and her experience of working with young students who have special needs. “Tracy never seems to have a bad day,’ said Dinger. “She is the person who helps kids get through their tough moments so they can focus and learn. Through her interaction with students, she has taught other paras and teachers. Tracy will be remembered long after she leaves.” 
 

After retirement Herkenehoff plans to spend more time “at the lake.” Parents and colleagues may see Tracy volunteering at the elementary school as her grandson will begin kindergarten at DES this fall. 

Cindy Selchow

This June will mark the end of a 22-year career for Cindy Selchow as an administrative assistant at Delano Elementary School (DES). Selchow accepted the administrative assistant position because of the flexible work schedule. The position allowed her to be a mom to her three young children, to be a wife, to work and to have summers off. She stayed at DES because of the kids and families, the staff, and the variety of her responsibilities.  
 

Twenty-two years after Sept. 10, 2001, Selchow is sitting in nearly the same spot she sat on her first day. She is still the warm smile that welcomes visitors into the elementary building and the undisturbed voice that picks up the phone when people call. “Cindy is truly the face and the backbone of the elementary school,” admits Principal, Rachel Schultz. “There are so many moving parts at an elementary school. Cindy knows all of the parts, even when there are missing parts, and finds the parts and she miraculously puts them all in the right place.” 

Selchow describes herself as the behind the scenes person who keeps things moving. She is rarely bored at work and the variety of her responsibilities make it easy for her to go to work every day. Throughout the day, Selchow can be found maintaining student attendance records, enrolling new students, talking to parents about navigating elementary school and events, and maintaining school records and reports. She shuffles substitute teachers and reorganizes schedules to make sure there is a teacher in every classroom and specials are not overlooked. She encourages children when they are down and reassures parents when they are anxious. “Cindy looks out for all of us,” said Schultz. “There are no surprises with Cindy. She is honest, straightforward, and caring. She has a huge heart and a great sense of humor that will always make you smile.” 
 

During her career, Selchow has seen many changes at the elementary school. Humbly she declared being adaptable as one of her strengths. “In order to do this job you have to be flexible. There are always new processes on how things should get done and you have to be able to adapt.” She has worked with four different principals, many staff and three different superintendents. She was part of a front office redesign that made the office welcoming, safe and efficient. She was part of an educational redesign that changed the kindergarten through fourth grade elementary school to a kindergarten through third grade school. She has seen staff come and go, and has watched thousands of children walk in her office as kindergartners and leave as graduates years later. But through it all her face lights up when she talks about the kids, coworkers and the office team. “My coworkers and the kids are why I love my job.”  
 

Selchow said she chose to retire at the end of June because the time was right; she will soon have a new grandchild, and she is excited to see where the next phase of her life takes her.