Tri County Superintendent Announces Retirement

After 52 years of working in education, Randy Schlueter will be retiring as the superintendent of Tri County Public Schools at the end of June.Schlueter was one of two students in a one-room country school from first to eighth grade near Wisner. In 1970, he was in the first graduating class from Wisner-Pilger High School.He said he knew at a young age that he wanted to be a teacher.“I refer to myself as a school rat,” he said. “I always wanted to be in a school system. I knew when I was in eighth grade that I wanted to teach.” Schlueter's first teaching job was in Ogallala in 1974. He taught American history in the high school. He noted that he still has his first contract.“I was paid $7,500 for the year and $250 to coach,” said Schlueter.After five years Schlueter moved to Friend from 1979 to 1983.“I was the social studies department,” Schlueter's joked. “It was a small school, and I was the only social studies teacher. I was the head volleyball coach, the assistant basketball coach, and coached track.”In 1983, Schlueter started teaching math at Pound Middle School in Lincoln, where he stayed until 1993 when he moved to Grand Island. He worked as the assistant principal at Barr Middle School for five years.Schlueter's moved to Beatrice with his family in 1998 and was the principal at Beatrice Middle School for 15 years. Schlueter started as the superintendent of Tri County High School in 2013 and retired for the first time in 2022. In March of 2024 he returned to fill in as the interim superintendent.Schlueter has won several awards throughout the years as an educator.During his brief retirement in 2022, Schlueter supervised student teachers. Throughout his career, he has taught different subject areas and worked in different-sized school districts.“Every change was something else I was looking for. It’s not change just to change. That’s ridiculous. It was a new opportunity, and I was fortunate enough to achieve my goals,” said Schlueter.Schlueter said change was also sometimes challenging. Schlueter said, “Change can be challenging, how you adjust and adapt over time. For a large part of it, that change in education has been good. If you don’t change, you become obsolete.”Schlueter briefly talked about the recent failed bond measure to expand facilities at Tri County.“I’m disappointed for the kids and the district as a whole in continuing to grow,” he said.He went on to say he has enjoyed helping students and staff.“It has been extremely rewarding to have had the privilege to work with kids and staff. To help them develop, mature and grow as they need. I’ve always tried to make school a place of belonging. It’s a feeling, an experience and a connection,” he said. Schlueter said he likes the acronym “G.R.I.T.”: Goals, Resiliency, Intelligence and Trust.“I think trust is important part of leadership. I think one of my strengths is gathering information before I make decisions. Sometimes people will come in and talk through something. It’s a process of teaching and learning,” said Schlueter, noting that he enjoys education. “I have a passion for what I do. I just really enjoy public education. My passion has always been grounded by my faith, my family and my friends. Family is more than just blood relatives, but also the family at the school who are important to me. Friends that lift you up and support you,” said Schlueter.Schlueter intends to try to be successful at retirement this time, “I failed at retirement the first time because I didn’t see the value and significance of retirement. I’m going to spend more time with my grandkids, the Magnificent Seven, in Gretna and Crete. I’m going to travel and see things in Nebraska that I haven’t seen before just to go. What have I missed out on?”Schlueter also plans to go to Europe with his wife, Karen, and follow the path his dad took in World War II. Schlueter described a map of the Third Armored Division showing where they landed and how they progressed through Germany. Brian Rottinghause will start as the new superintendent at Tri County on July 1, 2025.

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