Maki retirement surprises board members

K.W. Maki, Libby’s superintendent of schools, surprised everyone — his board members, staffers and even the principals who direct his two campuses — Monday night when he announced his intention to resign at the end of the current school year.

About two-thirds through the District 4 board meeting, the 68-year-old Maki discussed a pending resignation of an administrator. Hearing this, Maki’s two current principals looked at each other, one of whom has been on the job just months and the other with children in the district firmly entrenched in Libby. It was then Libby Elementary School Principal Ron Goodman knew Maki was leading up to his own resignation.

“No. I didn’t know,” Goodman confessed. Libby High Principal Ruth VanWorth-Rogers, with raised eyebrows, just shook her head in disbelief.

Disbelief and shock is the way board members described their fellings after learning of Maki’s resignation.

Maki, who has been in Libby for 16 years, submitted a four-paragraph resignation letter, which was displayed above board members with the help of an overhead projector.

Citing a desire for a slower pace, Maki said it’s time to spend more time with his wife of 46 years, Carolyn, and time to do some fishing with his Australian shepherd puppy. He has been in education 46 years, 16 in Libby, 20 in Corvallis and 10 before that in Priest River, Idaho.

“I feel like the district is on the way up,” Maki said. “I never wanted to leave a sinking ship. I think things are stabilized now.”

Les Nelson, who chairs the Finance Committee, paused before responding.

“I had a conversation with him some time ago,” Nelson said. “I got a feeling he was close to retirement, but he left me thinking he had at least another year. I’m shocked it came now. I actually gave Kirby’s situation some thought before deciding whether I would run again.”

Nelson was asked whether Maki’s resignation could mean an infusion of new ideas for the district.

“That remains to be seen,” Nelson said. “We’ll have to see who we get.”

Nelson pulled no punches in his respect for Maki, saying he has done much for Libby schools in difficult times.

“Replacing him is not going to be easy,” he said. “We had a national search for a principal. We got two locals and one from the outside. I’m concerned.”

Nelson concluded by saying he knew Maki was growing weary of his multiple duties.

“In addition to being superintendent, he’s curriculum director, a job Jael (Prezeau) had. He also is director of special services. We’re not going to find someone to take all that on.”

Similarly, Board Chairman Ellen Johnston had praises for Maki.

“I just have to say I have the utmost respect for the leadership and service he has given to the community,” Johnston said. “I respect what he’s done for the district in some difficult times. I was just stunned.”

A school board members who voted to end Maki’s contract included Lori Benson.

“Yeah, I was (shocked) by the timing of the decision,” Benson said. “Every year, he’s given crucial points to work on, and he’s made strides. Still, maybe it’s time to move on.”

Asked whether the resignation could be good for students in the district, Benson stressed the positive.

“I do think it could be a good thing,” she said. “Bringing in someone new, someone with a new direction could be good for the kids.”

Board member Amy Fantozzi, who with Benson and Melissa LaGoy accounted for the three votes to let Maki go, said she did not anticipate Maki’s resignation.

“No. No, I didn’t see it coming,” Fantozzi said. “I just figured it’d come later. Yes, I was surprised, actually shocked.”

Fantozzi, like Benson, thinks a change in superintendent could be good thing for Libby.

“It could be, depending on who we get,” Fantozzi said. “I know he’s gotten a bad rap for stuff. I really do think his heart is in the right place. He’s very likable, and we do thank him for doing this now so we have time to find someone.”

When Rik Rewerts retired last spring as principal at Libby High School, two local candidates and another national candidate rose to fill his role. Now, as a principal in Noxon, Rewerts has been bantered about as a possible superintendent candidate in Libby.

“At this time, I’d have to rebuff that,” Rewerts said Wednesday from his Bull Lake home. “It has not even been in my thought process. I quite enjoy where I am.”

While Rewerts admitted he is not certified to be superintendent, he is close to that certification.

“Two classes. I would need just two classes,” Rewerts said.