ABERDEEN, S.D. – This month, longtime educator, administrator and Aberdeen School Board member Duane Alm is retiring after 68 years in public education.
It’s the end of an era for Aberdeen Public Schools, as Alm has been a dedicated advocate for the school district for six decades.
Looking back, Alm said he never imagined he would spend this long in education—45 years as a teacher and school administrator, followed by 23 years on the school board.
“I did not think I’d be involved that long,” Alm said. “I had no idea. But I had a burning desire always to improve education and always had students in mind.”
Now, he leaves behind an incredible legacy of dedication and support for students and public schools.
“The legacy that I hope to leave behind is that I served all students in our great Aberdeen community as well as across the state of South Dakota,” Alm said. “Also, that I was a strong supporter and promoter of public education in South Dakota.”
Originally from Devils Lake, N.D., Alm began his career as a teacher and coach in Elgin, N.D., for five years before moving to Aberdeen.
In 1962, Alm began teaching sixth grade at Aberdeen’s Henry Neill School, and he later taught the same grade at Howard Hedger School. In 1971, Alm became the principal at Simmons Elementary, where he served for six years. He then transferred to C.C. Lee, serving as principal there for 17 years, followed by five years as principal at Howard Hedger.
Alm said one of the highlights during his administrative career was starting a learning styles program while principal of C.C. Lee. Each individual student received a learning style profile as part of this program, which was featured in an article in the “National Elementary Principals Journal.”
In 1999, Alm retired from the district. He spent a year as an education school improvement consultant for the district followed by two years as a substitute principal, serving at Lincoln, O.M. Tiffany and Simmons Middle School.
But his time with education wasn’t finished. In 2002, Alm ran for a position on the Aberdeen School Board. He won—and kept winning.
“I continued to be re-elected to our school board every three years,” Alm said.
Alm served as president of the board for two years and vice president for one year.
In 2003, Alm was elected to the Board of Directors for the Associated School Boards of South Dakota, continuing with ASBSD until this year. He also served as ASBSD President for two years and served on two committees for the National School Boards Association in Washington, D.C. He also served as President of the National School Board Association’s Western Region for one year.
Received Numerous Awards and Honors
Throughout his career, Alm has received numerous awards and honors, such as:
- Duane Alm Addition at C.C. Lee Elementary School was named in his honor in 2013.
- South Dakota Outstanding School Board Member of the Year Award in 2011.
- Aberdeen Public Schools Foundation Golden Apple Award in 2020.
- Inducted into the CHS Hall of Fame for Distinguished Service in 2022.
- ASBSD award for dedicated service to public education in the state of South Dakota in 2025.
Impacted by High School Algebra Teacher
Alm said his high school algebra teacher inspired him to become an educator himself.
“She was a very humble person, very knowledgeable,” he said.
She treated every student as an important person, he said. She was patient, took the time to help if you didn’t understand something, and had a sense of humor.
“I thought that maybe I could do the same thing, be that kind of person,” Alm said. “And I thought I could be, knowing myself.”
Expressed Gratitude to Fellow Board Members
This year, after 63 consecutive years of service to the Aberdeen Public School District, Alm chose not to run for school board re-election.
He expressed gratitude to his fellow school board members throughout the years.
“I appreciate all the board members that I’ve served with,” Alm said. “They have helped me become a better school board member, and I thank them very much. I think my success could not have happened without fellow school board members. They are great people.”
He also praised the several excellent school superintendents and ASBSD executive directors he’s served with, most recently Dr. Becky Guffin and Mr. Heath Larson.
“Over the years, my wife, Sunnie, and family members were always very supportive of my career and efforts in education,” he said.
Now that he’s retiring, Alm said he plans to relax and possibly do some traveling, including potentially visiting his son in Alaska.
“I won’t have to worry about going to a meeting,” he said with a smile.
And as he reflects on his career, Alm is very happy to have served.
“I guess overall I’m just grateful to have served in all these various capacities,” he said. “And if I look back, I wouldn’t change a thing.”
About the Aberdeen Public School District
The Aberdeen Public School District provides a comprehensive educational program to approximately 4,200 students in grades K-12, with a mission of empowering all students to succeed in a changing world. Our students receive the knowledge and skills necessary to reach their potential in a global community through high expectations of academic achievement; diverse educational opportunities; and community involvement in a safe, supportive environment. Learn more at aberdeen.k12.sd.us.
