Thompson retiring after 37 years in education

For 35 years, Kelli Thompson has helped shape the lives of elementary students in Holton classrooms.

Last week, Thompson retired from Holton USD 336 after a 37-year career in education that took her from third grade classrooms to preschool programs and left a lasting impact on generations of students and families. 

A native of Nortonville, Thompson said inspiring teachers shaped her decision to pursue education.

“I had amazing teachers all the way through school,” Thompson said. “The reason I became a teacher was because of my third-grade teacher Mrs. Rogers. She read books to her class like nobody else, and I just remember thinking that when I grew up, I wanted to be just like Mrs. Rogers.”

After high school, Thompson spent one year at Pittsburg State University before transferring to Washburn University, where she earned a bachelor of science degree in education in the spring of 1989.

After graduation, she worked at Cair Paravel Latin School in Topeka for two years teaching second grade.

Thompson said a college friend who was teaching in Holton contacted her about several openings in the district. At the time, Jerry Fuqua was serving as Holton superintendent.

“My mother and stepdad both knew Jerry,” she said. “Judy Norris was on the Holton school board at the time, and she was my boss at Sylvan Learning Center because I also worked at Sylvan to supplement my income.”

Thompson was hired to teach third grade at Central Elementary School for the 1991 school year and quickly began putting down roots in Holton.

“I moved to Holton because there were such great teachers. It’s a good and safe community. The educational system was just so strong,” she said. “I just loved the teachers and the leadership, and it just felt like this was going to be home.”

During that time, Thompson returned to Washburn University to earn a master’s degree in reading.

From 2009 to 2017, she taught second grade at Colorado Elementary School. In 2016, the new Holton Elementary School opened, which placed all elementary grade levels under one roof, a move Thompson said helped unify elementary programs throughout the district.

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