On the ball field as a shortstop, on the bench as a basketball coach, in the school as a superintendent, Rick Weber has spent his career in education as a leader.
Now that career is coming to an end. Sort of.
Weber will close out his 35-year career in the Flandreau school system at the end of this month. His grandmother and father were both educators. When Weber chose his career, he said it was partly following family footsteps, as well as helping kids.
With a degree in math and physical education from South Dakota State University, in January of 1988 Weber started his career in Arlington where he served for two and half years as a math and computer science teacher as well as head boys basketball coach.
In 1990 he was hired as a sixth grade science teacher and head boys basketball coach at Flandreau. In 1991 he taught middle school math and computers.
Sports an important part of Webers life
In addition to his duties as head boys basketball coach, in 1997 Weber started teaching high school math as well as taking on the responsibilities of activities director.
That year is significant because it was likely the high point of his coaching career as his basketball team was undefeated, winning the state Class A championship.
The key to an undefeated season, Weber said, was having very good players that are all focused on the same goal. Weber recalled the chemistry and camaraderie of the team and how none of the players were worried about who gets the credit. It was a real team achievement.
That achievement will be honored again this summer when the 1997 team is enshrined in the Flandreau Athletic Hall of Fame.
Athletic honors are nothing new to Weber. Hes in the Entringer Scholarship Classic Hall of Fame and the South Dakota Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame. Usually players enter a hall of fame after their career ends, but Weber is still on the baseball diamond after taking a 10-year hiatus from the game.
At SDSU, Weber spent one year on the basketball team and four years on the baseball team. That love of sports carried over into coaching, allowing him to connect with students outside the classroom.
Coaching allowed Weber to get to know students a little more in depth than you do as a classroom teacher.
His interest in sports, and all school activities, led Weber to serve on the board of directors of the South Dakota High School Activities Association for five years, ending his tenure as chairman.
Wearing two hats: Activities Director and Superintendent
Like activities directors across the state, Weber has seen the number of SDHSAAs sanctioned activities grow. In the past couple of years, Flandreau has begun to offer e-sports and girls softball.
That is one of the fastest growing activities in high schools right now throughout the nation, Weber said of e-sports.
Adding new sports or activities depends on sustaining a participation level from students, Weber explained.
Obviously we dont want to start a new activity and in two years it fizzles out, Weber said. Both softball and e-sports seem to thrive right now.
When Weber the activities director pushes for adding new sports, it can add to the budgetary headaches of Weber the superintendent. Weber got into administration as a way to continue to help students.
After joking that he became a superintendent in 2004 because he likes late nights and headaches, Weber went on to explain his move into administration as a way to have a little bit more voice in helping kids in all aspects of their education. To hopefully move the school in the correct direction.
While funding from the state is not always at the level he would like, Weber leaves the school district on a solid financial footing.
Weve been fortunate enough, Weber said. Were in pretty good shape overall in our general fund and capital outlay budgets.
In the last 10 years the school has had to transfer money from the capital outlay fund to the general fund. Thats been a common occurrence at other schools. While other school districts have asked voters for more tax dollars, that hasnt happened in Flandreau.
Weve been happy enough not to look at an opt-out yet, or anything like that, Weber said.
Weber earned a masters degree in education administration at SDSU in 1996 and an education specialist degree from the University of Sioux Falls in 2005. He said those degrees helped a teacher and coach grow into a role that would allow him to oversee school budgets.
Ive been very fortunate to work with three outstanding business managers that understand school finance, Weber said.
Weber also credits a school board that hasnt see much change in its membership.
We dont have a lot of turnover, which has helped, Weber said. They understand where we have been and what direction we are going.
Weber gets ready for a working retirement
As for Webers direction, hell be heading west on Highway 34 three days a week in his new role as the part-time superintendent of the Howard School District.
Its obvious that Weber is getting ready to vacate his office where there are large totes filled with more than 30 years of memories. While things can be stored away, what Weber says hell miss the most are his colleagues.
We have a great staff here all the way through all schools, Weber said. We have very good public support for our school system, which is crucial, critical.
Even with a new job on the horizon, Weber will have more time to spend with his family. Weber and his wife, Karen, have four grown children: Zach, Drew, Tessa and April. Drew, a teacher and basketball coach at Tea, is the familys fourth generation educator.
Looking back on a career in education that started 37 years ago in Arlington, Weber has this advice for anyone who is considering a career in teaching: The work that you put into the position will come back to you threefold.
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