Bloomfield Elementary teacher Tara Schomburg retired this year after 33 years with the Ralston Public Schools.

Schomburg, a native of Clear Lake, Iowa, taught third, fourth and sixth grade for nearly four decades. Her love for education began early and lasted a lifetime.

“It may be cliche, but I did always know that I wanted to be a teacher,” Schomburg told The Daily Record. “My grandma was a school nurse in our district, so I grew up with her and teachers always at my grandma’s house. I was always surrounded by people in education.”

After graduating from the University of Northern Iowa, Schomburg taught for six years in Des Moines before moving to Ralston. She began teaching third grade and quickly moved to fourth grade, spending the bulk of her years there before transitioning to sixth grade in 2016.

“I enjoyed each grade, but since I spent the majority of my time in fourth grade, you could say it was my favorite,” she said. “But I loved working with the sixth graders. I needed a change after so many years, and it was a great group of kids to move with.”

For Schomburg, there were many parts of her position that felt rewarding. She prioritized connecting with her students on an individual level and placed an emphasis on personal growth.

“I loved going to their extracurriculars or sports games to connect with them on that personal level,” she said. “It was so rewarding to see where kids were at the beginning of a year and then how far they come — educationally, of course, but also seeing and helping them develop and grow as a human.”

Retirement will be a change for Schomburg, who has not missed the first day of school since she was five years old. She hinted at the possibility of substitute teaching in the future.

“I’m going to relax for now, maybe learn a couple new things, and keep landscaping and gardening” she said. “I’m sure I will be ready for another new adventure in a little while.”