, 
, 
“Stand up if you ever had Mr. Dooyema as a teacher.”
Luverne art teacher Chris Nowatzki made this request during the district’s employee recognition program on the last day of school Friday, May 28.
In response, over 30 of the teachers, paraprofessionals, custodians, bus drivers, food service and other district staff gathered in the Cardinal gym stood up as the rest applauded.
“This just shows the legacy that Mr. Dooyema leaves after 41 years,” Nowatzki told the group.
Doug Dooyema started in Luverne in the fall of 1980, spending his first 12 years teaching fourth grade in the old elementary school building on Luverne Street.
He then moved to teaching sixth-grade science at the middle school, a position he held for almost 30 years.
Dooyema grew up near Kenneth and graduated from Edgerton Public High School before earning degrees from Minnesota West in Worthington and Minnesota State University in Mankato.
He taught one year in Salem, South Dakota, before returning closer to home to teach in Luverne.
“I’m now just about on my third generation of students in the same family,” Dooyema said.
“You make a lot of connections with the students and families when you teach in the same town for this many years, and I’ve really enjoyed that the most.”
He said he thought about being a veterinarian after high school, but quickly realized he didn’t want the hours required with that profession.
“I really kind of fell into teaching by default,” Dooyema said. “I knew I’d be able to keep farming some back then if I was a teacher. It was a great choice.”
It’s a life lesson he shares with his students.
“I always try to impress on the kids that school will take you somewhere,” Dooyema said. “No one can ever take your education away from you.”
Early in his career, Dooyema also coached multiple sports, including varsity assistant for baseball and middle school football and basketball before his own children began participating in sports.
He’s also been involved with the teachers’ union since he started with district and has been a negotiator for the Luverne Education Association for 38 years.
According to Dooyema, the end of his four decades career may not be immediately felt.
“It probably won’t really hit me until this fall when I don’t go back to school,” he said, adding that he’ll spend more time with his wife, Pam, their nine children and six (the seventh is on its way) grandchildren.
“That will keep me busy,” he added.
Dooyema also plans to continue working with his backhoe construction business.
“I like that, because I can kind of set my hours. It’s perfect.”