BCSD says goodbye and hello

 November 9, 2012
With a combined total of 48-years service with Boundary County School District 101, Art Linnemer (l) and Jim Bace were honored Thursday on their retirements.
The Boundary County School Board took a break between meetings Thursday evening to recognize two employees who gave the district years of outstanding service and commitment, as both move on into retirement. High School principal Kirk Hoff used the occasion to welcome two older teachers, one of them a long-time BFHS favorite.

A long familiar face at BFHS, Bob Saboe returned to the math classroom for awhile ...
Art Linnemeyer dedicated 27 years as the district's transportation supervisor, getting up in the early hours when the weather looked bad to determine whether or not it was safe to transport students to school.

Jim Bace, as district maintenance supervisor for 21 years, kept old buildings and old boilers up and running, and saw and learned about the mechanics of two new schools during his tenure, Naples Elementary and the new Bonners Ferry High School.

School superintendent Dick Conley lauded the work done by both men over the course of their careers.

... Until Joe Ward could be talked out of retirement to return to the classroom!
High School Principal Kirk Hoff later took the floor, welcoming back a favorite teacher who had long since retired, and welcoming another retired teacher who is new to the fold.

"We had an unexpected vacancy in our math department and I needed an immediate replacement," Hoff announced. "So I called on someone I'd heard a lot of good things about, a math teacher of the highest order. When I called him told him what we were up against, his initial reaction was 'no,' but two hours later, Bob Saboe called back and said if the situation were that serious, he'd fill in until we could find someone permanent, and he came back to Bonners Ferry High School. Then we found Joe Ward, a retired math teacher with excellent credentials, and he agreed to step back into the classroom. So Mr. Saboe is now our substitute, and Mr. Ward our newest math teacher!"