Longtime teachers serve students, younger educators

Almost everyone involved with the Oak Ridge School District between 1954 and 2008 knows the name Jackie Ludwig.

Ludwig, who taught in the district from 1954 to 1990 and served on the school board from 1993 to 2008, was recently honored as a Pioneer in Education. The honor was bestowed during the 55th Cooperative Conference for School Administrators, hosted annually by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Ludwig told the Southeast Missourian she "was very, very surprised" to receive the honor. She was one of six Missouri educators named Pioneers in Education for 2016.

A lot has changed, for better or worse, over the decades since she began teaching. From dress codes to disciplinary actions, schools are a different environment now.

"Every generation has become a little more relaxed," she said. "Maybe a little too relaxed."

Teachers with 50-plus years of experience are a rare gift for students and newer faculty. While new educators may enter their field equipped to teach academic lessons, it's the intervening years that help them teach students life lessons. Their experiences not only help their students, but also provide cues for the teachers coming through behind them.

Congratulations to Ludwig on being named a Pioneer in Education, and to all lifelong educators on their careers.