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Luverne School District business manager Marlene Mann attended her last school board meeting Thursday night, July 22, capping a 55-year career.
Mann told board members, many of whom were students while she was on the job, that she found her job rewarding.
“Even though I wasn’t in the classroom, I consider myself an educator,” she said.
“We were putting things together and doing what could be done in giving all the kids the best education and the most opportunities, so they could go out into the world with a good sound background.”
At Thursday’s meeting Luverne Mayor Pat Baustian proclaimed July 31, 2021, as “Marlene Mann Day.”
He applauded her “tremendous job of giving sound financial advice, investing properly and keeping the school district in extremely sound financial shape.”
The proclamation recognized that Mann “worked tirelessly and was loyally committed to the school district and the betterment of the Luverne community.”
Path to becoming business manager
Marlene Kindt grew up in rural Hardwick, attending Hardwick Grade School through the eighth grade. She came to LHS as a freshman and graduated in 1964.
She married Gary Mann in 1965 and was busy caring for their infant daughter, Michele, in 1966 when school officials called and asked if she would help out in the high school library.
“It was the first time they had a para anywhere in the school,” she said.
Mann wasn’t returning the next school year but an opening in the counselor’s office made her reconsider. Two years later she moved to a position in the superintendent’s office.
Because of her willingness to learn and her attention to detail, she rose to the business manager position for the district, which today has annual expenditures of more than $15 million.
Mann has worked with six different superintendents and multiple school boards on district budgets.
Over the years she adopted a consistent plan as she assumed more financial duties in the district office.
“If you can look at the whole picture and have a plan, you can try and keep the levy as level and as consistent as possible,” she said.
“That’s one of the challenges and one of the things I enjoy with the idea of trying to balance that and still provide a good quality, above-the-norm education.”
Mann’s dedication to her job meant she spent evenings and weekends at school working on the numbers.
She thanks her family for understanding her dedication and giving her the time to complete the necessary financial tasks.
Under her financial watch, the district is wrapping up a $30 million construction and renovation project that includes a new large commons and kitchen, additional and remodeled classroom spaces and a performing arts center.
The new color scheme makes the building look different from when she attended LHS.
“I think the school is the envy for many people,” Mann said. “We have a top-notch teaching staff, paraprofessionals, cooks, custodians and bus drivers. I want to say we have it all.”
She said she’s looking forward to retirement.
“There are a few things out there that I am looking forward to doing,” she said, mentioning family at the top of the list.
Specifically, she’ll attend her twin grandchildren’s high school activities in Brookings, South Dakota. She also plans to do some traveling.
She thanked board members and colleagues for their support.
“That is the rewarding part of hard work, being appreciated,” she said. “If there’s anything that can make you feel good, it’s having someone know you’ve worked hard at something and it is appreciated.”