At the close of the current school year Mr. Mark Gabriel will retire from teaching at GMG. He is a huge Hawkeye fan and an even bigger fan of auctions and garage sales. So, Mr. Mark Polich presented him with a Hawkeye cooler filled with his favorite beverage - Diet Coke!! Mr. Gabriel was also officially presented with the coveted School Bell in recognition of 35 years of teaching. The 35 years at GMG was achieved last year, but the bell was delayed in shipping so the official presentation took place during National Teacher Appreciation Week. Pictured are Mr. Mark Gabriel and Mr. Mark Polich.

GMG Staff will be holding an Open House on Sunday, May 24 for Mr. Mark Gabriel and Mrs. Connie Jackson. Both have chosen to retire and pursue other avenues of interest. Mr. Gabriel has served GMG students for the past 36 years. Mrs. Jackson has been at GMG for 25 years. The Open House will be held in the GMG High School Cafeteria from 2 to 4 PM. The public is invited to attend and greet these two icons.

Mark Gabriel came to teach at GMG 36 years ago. He taught the first two years of h is career at Don Bosco. He has taught Business Education and has coached basketball, softball and football and for the last 30 years he has served as Activities Director for GMG.

When asked what he saw as the biggest change he quickly replied, “Technology! It is good in so many ways, but the kids are checking their phones every five seconds. We have so much non-personal communication…. we have lost the face to face dialogue.” And then he added, “I call it the microwave mentality . got to be fast… no time to let the roast simmer.”

The Gabriel Family includes h is wife, Revae, who is retired from teaching at the Juvenile Home. Daugher Kristen and husband Brandon Newell live near Slater and have two children. She is a teacher at North Polk elementary. Daughter Jessica and husband Scott Suhr live in Waverly and she works for Family Services and have a little girl.

Son Tom and his wife Kelcy live in Marshalltown and he is an engineer at Emerson. They have a little boy and a little girl.

The smell coming from the GMG Lunch room was delectable! It was the scent of loaves of freshly baked home-made bread. GMG Head Cook Connie Jackson is pictured with the loaves of bread and pans of chicken thighs ready for the oven. Connie will retire at the close of the school year. An Open House in honor of Connie and Mr. Mark Gabriel will be held on May 24 in the High School Cafeteria from 2 to 4 PM. The public is invited to attend.

In the future Gabe says, “I want to do whatever and whenever I want to and of course that includes what and whenever Revae wants….. I am going to chase grand-kids and take care of my families. We will stay living in Toledo.

Connie Jackson has been cooking up good food for GMG students and staff for the past 25 years. Carley Luethje was head cook when Connie started as an assistant and when Carley left three years later Connie became Head Cook. Three years later she became GMG Food Service Director.

Many will remember the Garden Center in Garwin that Connie ran for seven years. Prior to that she worked at Collins Radio, Webster Mfg. in Marshalltown and was a stay at home Mom to her girls for a while. And of course, she has always been a “right hand” to Laverne in their farming operation.

When asked what she sees as the biggest change Connie said, “It is the kids appetite. They are not used to home made food that we like to cook. They’re used to pre-cooked and packaged.” The day of this interview Connie was baking big loaves of home-made bread to be served for lunch with roasted chicken drum sticks.

Connie and her husband, Laverne, are the parents of four daughters. Larae Edens and husband, Lenny, have three children and Larae teaches at GMG Elementary. Laura and Adam Daniel have one little boy and she is a graphic designer. Lana and Nate Kupka have a little girl and she works at Pioneer. Youngest daughter, Laenda, is Mom to three daughters and is a part time student and also works part-time.

As for future plans Connie notes that Laverne is retired from Swifts and farm and has cattle to work with, so she will assist him. She adds, “I love to garden and do yard work. And reading is a passion. Give me a happy book and a good story and I am happy.”

So, it is with best wishes and a bit of sadness that GMG says “Good-bye” to Mr. Gabriel and Mrs. Jackson. You have made your mark on GMG students and staff – now we wish you the best as you begin a new chapter in your life.