Gottula, Bartels wrap up their LCC careers

LAUREL – Area residents will soon say goodbye to a combined 66 years of education experience.

School counselor and head football coach Alan Gottula is completing his 45th year in education. He has been at Laurel-Concord-Coleridge for the past seven years.

Besides working with local students as the school counselor, he’s also worked with them on the football field and as an assistant boys basketball coach.

Over the last four decades, Gottula has seen a lot of changes in technology and education, but the “more things change, the more they stay the same,” he said. “I do believe that students are not as independent or adventurous as maybe they were when I started.”

He has accumulated some great mem0ries in his 45 years of teaching.

Being an assistant boys basketball coach during the Bears state championship run was a memory he will never forget.

“The State basketball championship will always be a highlight of my career,” he said.

He has other fond memories of coaching before coming to LCC.

“The opportunity to coach my sons and eventually coach with them prior to my tenure at LCC (was great),” he said. “They are very knowledgeable and experienced and occasionally they would ask the “old man” a question.’

Gottula hopes to log some frequent flier miles in his retirement.

“I am opting for the fun and interesting in this lifetime,” he said. “We would like to travel, especially to see our grandchildren in Omaha, California and Denmark.”

Luann Bartels has always enjoyed working with children.

That’s why she started volunteering at the school and then became a paraprofessional at LCC 21 years ago.

She currently spends most of her school day working in the LCC Middle School library.

“I’ve always loved kids, so when the opportunity came up to work at school, I knew it would be a great fit. And it has been,” she said.

She has loved being able to see how school can transform the students.

“(I’ve enjoyed) watching how much a child changes and grows over the years,” she said.

While it was a challenge, the 2020-21 school year will always stand out to her.

She will always remember, “the Covid year and delivering meals and homework packets to students, plus zooming in with some students.”

In her time at LCC, she has seen advancing technology change from a mere curiosity to playing a vital role in the classroom.

“Hands down, the use of technology in the classrooms (is what has changed the most),” she said. Bartels said she will “definitely miss the students and staff. I’ve made some great friends throughout the years.” She encourages others just starting out in the education field to, “embrace learning right along with the students and to build good relationships with the staff and students.”

For Bartels, retirement will mean more time with her family and eight grandchildren, who range in age from 17 to 2.

“I look forward to going to more of their school things,” she said.

She also enjoys sewing and gardening and hope to be able to do that more.

It will also mean working from time to time as she does plan to serve as a substitute once in awhile.