Mike Wolanin | The Republic Flat Rock-Hawcreek School Corp. Technology Director Denise Ollestad poses for a photo in her office at Hauser Jr.-Sr. High School in Hope, Ind., Tuesday, March 29, 2022. Ollestad is retiring after serving the school corporation for nearly 40 years.
HOPE — When Denise Ollestad first joined the Flat Rock-Hawcreek School Corp. as a business teacher at Hauser Jr.-Sr. High School in 1983, her duties included demonstrating skills such as typewriting, accounting and shorthand.
Over the course of 40 years, however, her work would shift to coordinating a technology department amid massive and rapid changes in the world of tech — not the least of which was a pandemic that caused schools to pivot to virtual learning.
Ollestad recently retired from the role of technology director for the school corporation with March 31 as her last day on the job. She said that Alison Wold, whose roles at the school corporation have included testing coordinator and eLearning coach, will “merge” some positions and will take over the technology director job.
The school board approved Ollestad’s retirement letter in October 2021 and commended her for her service.
“She taught me how to navigate the first computer I ever used, and I was probably 8 years old at the time,” said board member Chad Miller.
Prior to joining Flat Rock-Hawcreek, Ollestad worked as a substitute teacher for one year in the Indianapolis area. She was then hired in 1983 to teach a business elective at Hauser.
Over time, electives weren’t requested as much, and the school no longer needed two business teachers. Ollestad estimated it was 1995 when then-superintendent Kevin Caress said her position might have to be reduced to part-time. He then asked if she was interested in becoming a “computer coordinator.”
“Being a business teacher and just doing what I had learned on my own and on the job, I said, ‘I don’t know if I can do that!’” recalled Ollestad. “But Dr. Caress was a very special person who told me that he had no doubt that I was more than capable of doing that job.”
Caress let her start in the role part-time and also sent her to work with a group of tech coordinators at Indiana University. As she worked with them, Ollestad saw that “everybody was learning together.”
Over time, her position grew from computer coordinator to technology director. She said it helped to have good support, helpful vendors and dependable colleagues amid the changes in technology over the course of her career.
“When I first started, I was trying to do this job on my own,” said Ollestad. “And as I’ve worked together and grown with the corporation, we have grown the technology department as the needs have increased. And I would say I’ve been very blessed in the group of people that have worked with me in the technology department. It takes a team, today. It’s not one person; it’s everybody working together.”
It’s also important to actively learn and conduct your own research, she added.
In discussing the pandemic, she noted that it made learning more difficult for students and impacted test scores. Furthermore, Ollestad noted that remote learning “is not the easiest thing for teachers, staff, parents or anybody.”
However, she added that she feels that the difficult time has shown the adaptability of students and staff.
“I’m not so sure test scores tell the best ability of our students,” she said. “I thing the best thing a student can learn is to be adaptable, to know that they can do it, that they have confidence and that they don’t give up trying. … If students do that, then whatever our career changes are — which there’s several, a lot of times, for people in a lifetime — then you’ll be fine, and you’ll make it. … Learning to learn is the best thing that you can do, no matter the circumstances.”
Change is a part of life for Ollestad as well as she moves into retirement. Her plans including focusing on family. She also expects to do more volunteer work, work with her church and enjoy some time gardening.
When asked how it feels to be retiring, she said it’s “hard to let go.”
“But at some point, you know it’s time, because there’s other things, opportunities for me,” said Ollestad. “… You see that it’s time for new people to take over what you’ve dedicated yourself to 39 years to. And that’s good — new eyes, new ideas. And that’s what keeps school corporations going, is moving out, letting others come in and take up the job.”
