Trio retire from Randolph schools with combined 75 years

RANDOLPH — Latricia Olson has never been one to have many hobbies.

That’s because school’s always her hobby, she said.

As a third-grade teacher at Randolph Elementary, she spent her summers working on curriculum or reading about different teaching techniques and activities to implement in the classroom.

After 34 years teaching, she’s retiring and hoping to, at long last, find herself a hobby, she said with a smile.

Olson joins Karen Dominisse, Title I Reading teacher, and Elaine Bloomquist, 7-12 special education paraprofessional, in retiring from Randolph.

Bloomquist said even though she’s turned in her keys, the fact that she’s officially retired hasn’t entirely sunk in.

“It probably won’t hit until Fall when everybody’s supposed to go back,” she said.

For Dominisse though, retirement really hit home on the last day of school when the first through third graders sang and danced, to wish her a fond fare well.

“I got a little teary-eyed over that,” she said. “I’m really going to miss it.”

More than 75 years of combined experience is represented by the trio of retiring women and with that comes many experiences and memories they will carry with them.

Dominisse said she enjoyed all the field trips she got to go on over her 25 years, including to the Omaha zoo and the state capitol in Lincoln.

“They were such good kids,” she said. “They weren’t just on a field trip to have fun, but they actually wanted to learn things,” she said.

As part of Bloomquist’s 17 years of experience, she had the privilege of working with this year’s special education seniors as Kindergarteners and first graders, with her two years at the elementary level.

“It was fun watching them grow up,” she said. “That was neat to watch that particular group – see them change and evolve.”

The love and care exchanged, from teacher to student and back, is so special and not easily forgotten, Olson said.

“Children are very affectionate. They want you to be a part of their life and know about them and care for them and that’s what I’ll treasure,” she said.

Along with missing students, colleagues also leave a special mark on the women’s hearts as they retire – sharing laughs and putting their heads together to problem solve.

“There’s always ups and downs and bumps in the road, but I’ve always felt supported by the staff,” Olson said. “I think the elementary staff has always done a good job of working together and supporting each other and I’ve appreciated that.”

Retirement will free the women up to travel.

“It’s just whatever we feel like doing, we can go do,” Bloomquist said, adding that she’s been known to take spontaneous trips.

Dominisse will be spending more time with her four grandchildren.

Bloomquist will be enjoying her cultivated hobbies of counted cross-stitch and gardening – which is one of the hobbies on Olson’s list to try.

Perhaps she’ll be able to turn her “black thumb” into a green

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