The 2023-2024 school year marks the beginning of Rosie Koupal’s 50th year of working for the Wagner Community School. After graduating from Wagner High School in 1972, Rosie attended the University of South Dakota at Springfield (USD-Springfield). She graduated from USD-Springfield in May of 1973 with a secretarial associate degree. After graduating from college, Rosie wanted to work in her hometown of Wagner. At the time, there was only one secretarial position being advertised and that was with the Wagner school. In August of 1973, she was hired by the high school principal, Dale E. Hall, and thus began her career at Wagner Community School.

Rosie’s first job at WCS was as the secretary for the high school principal, Dale Hall. At that time, the school was located where the Wagner Boys and Girls Club currently resides. During her 50 years at the school, Rosie has held several positions. She was Dale E. Hall’s secretary for four years. In 1977, she began working in the business office and held that position for 39 years. In 2016, Rosie opted for a change and became the secretary to the middle school principal, Steve Petry. This is her seventh year as the middle school secretary.

The 50 years spent with the school is time that has flown by for Rosie. She feels very blessed to have worked with such wonderful school board members, administrations, and co-workers over the past years. She cherishes the friendships that she has made with families and their children. It has been amazing that in her 50 years of working at WCS, she has watched families where four generations have grown up and all walked the halls of WCS. WCS is very special to Rosie because of her own children. All three of her children, Michael, Mandy and Michele graduated from WCS and are teachers. There was even a time when all three of them worked at WCS.

Rosie has been able to see the progression of the building of the school over the years. She has witnessed when it was first built in 1975 and all the additions over the years. She feels very lucky to work at such a beautiful school. Her favorite part of her job are the students. It is because of them that she has a job. Being able to start each day watching the happy, smiling students come through the doors of WCS brings her joy. Something that most people do not know about Rosie is that growing up she always wanted to have twelve children. That is part of why she is such a wonderful asset to the WCS staff, she has always loved children and it shows in how she talks to and treats every child, every day.

Over the years, Rosie’s greatest lessons learned are that no matter how old a person is or how many years of experience one has, a person can always learn something new every day and to love unconditionally no matter what the circumstance. These are lessons that Rosie exemplifies in her everyday roles as the middle school secretary. She truly loves the students that she gets to see and work with and while they are learning, she is learning from them as well. Rosie has a gift of knowing her students, always offering kind words, and knowing just what a student needs to help them through their day.

When asked what three words Rosie would use to describe Wagner Community School, she chose exquisite, friendly and we’ll (we will). Exquisite because the community and students are privileged to have such a beautiful state of the art school. Friendly because as people walk into the school, they are greeted by friendly faces that make a person feel warm and welcome. Finally, we will because of the dedicated staff’s mission of “Every Child. Every Chance. Every Day.” Staff, families, students and community members all work together to create a village of learning for the Wagner students.

Rosie has been married to her husband, Dwayne, for 47 years and they live in Dante. Her son Michael and his wife Tera work at WCS as teachers and coaches. Michael and Tera have six children Macy a senior, Ashlyn a sophomore, Cruise an eighth grader, Riggs a second-grader, Dash is in Kindergarten and Elsie who is two years old. Her daughter, Mandy is married to Travis Janich and lives in Moorhead, MN. They own a business, Janich Homes and Remodeling and have two daughters, Audrey a junior and Jalynn a seventh grader. Travis and Mandy do have plans to move to Wagner someday. Michele is married to Cullen Wilson and they live in Madison. Michele homeschools their daughters and her husband is the general manager of Madison Farmer’s Elevator Co. They have three daughters Clare a second-grader, Mary a preschooler and Anne who is two years old.

Rosie has no plans to retire in the foreseeable future. She still has her health and loves getting up and coming to work at the school every day. She works a ten-month schedule, leaving her time to enjoy her summers working in her yard and garden. She enjoys baking, canning her garden veggies and spending time with her friends and family. Rosie and Dwayne enjoy following their grandchildren’s’ sporting events and activities; always there to support and cheer them on.

Thank you, Rosie, for your years of dedication and service to the school and community. You have made a difference and touched so many lives during your 50 years. Wagner Community School would not be the same without you.