On Friday Todd Prusator will hear the school bells ring for the last time as the Rochelle Elementary School District superintendent, ending nearly three decades with the Rochelle elementary and high school districts.

“It’s a surreal feeling,” he said. “Being here is something that I’ve been doing every day … working every day with the schools. I’ve been here almost 29 years, and it’s been a blessing.”

Prusator had many duties at the high school when he began his career in education — first as an English teacher along with coaching basketball and football for two years, then as the dean for three years before becoming principal. After a year-long superintendent spot in Oregon, Prusator was then hired as superintendent for the Rochelle Elementary School District — In all, 14 years at the high school and 14 years at the elementary level. 

The last couple of weeks while clearing his office has been a trip down memory lane; he reflected how the teaching occupation has evolved over the years.

“As I look back on when I started teaching, it’s how little I really knew about teaching. You learn as you go along.”  Prusator reflected. “I have the utmost respect for teachers now because the expectations are higher, it is more complex and the accountability is a much higher degree. It’s a different world and it’s challenging. I give credit to our teachers and teachers in general. It’s a different job not only in terms of teaching academics, but also dealing with social and emotional issues and still developing the whole child.”

While reflecting, Prusator said that times have certainly changed over the years.

“One of the biggest changes, and it’s a good thing, but back when I started it was pretty much ‘here is your textbook and you teach everybody the same.’ And that’s not the way it is now,” he said. “It’s understanding the differences of kids and their needs and to be able to differentiate what you are doing to meet those needs. There are also changes with common core and the testing system and the different renditions that happen over the years.”

All in the family

Teachers and coaches were always a major influence for Prusator, starting with his father who had a fairly similar route as teacher, principal and then superintendent. He speaks about his mentors, including Doug Creason and Terry Roderick who were at RTHS when he was first hired. 

“My brothers have been great mentors. They are both in the education field and are both superintendents now,” Prusator said. “As we were teaching, then we were principals around the same time, then superintendents the same time. It was always nice having them to bounce things off of.”

Along with his brothers in the education field, Prusator’s wife and his brothers’ wives are teachers. His son is set to start teaching at the first of the year.

“My dad coached for 28 years, he is in the Basketball Hall of Fame … my mom was a school nurse. Teaching and being in the schools has been in our DNA from the beginning,” Prusator said. “And after Christmas break my son will start his first teaching job. I’m finishing up and he’s starting all at the same time.”

Since July, Prusator has taken on the role of assistant superintendent alongside Tony Doyle while transitioning into retirement. Jason Harper is now the superintendent for both the RTHS and elementary school district; Doyle is the assistant superintendent. 

“The transition has gone well and that’s a credit to Jason, Tony, the two boards and all of the faculty,” Prusator said. “Everyone has done a terrific job.”

An open house will be held for Prusator on Friday, Dec. 17 at Salt 251 from 5 to 7 p.m. There will be a brief program at 6. The event is open to the public.