Just as with the Sonny and Cher song The Beat Goes On–so do the years. And, this year, Mr. James Leeling, a Government and U.S History teacher here at Elkhart-East, hangs up his lanyard for the last time. Mr. Leeling has been a teacher for 29 years. He has worked at both Central and Memorial, along with working in Adult Education. He admits that he will miss students and staff members at Elkhart East but hopes to get into the swing of retirement without missing a beat. Mr. Leeling confides, though, that there are some things he won’t regret saying goodbye to. Topping that list is waking up at 5 o’clock in the morning five days a week!

According to Mr. Leeling,  his retirement plans have not yet been determined, but he already has a general idea of what his plans are going to look like. He says, “I know I will be transporting and babysitting my youngest granddaughter”–along with the occasional work-around-the-house jobs. Apart from retirement, Leeling says that the craziest thing he’s ever dealt with when teaching was when the pandemic of COVID-19 hit Elkhart Community Schools. After that, who wouldn’t be willing to retire!

While Mr. Leeling may be closing the history books here, he is ready to make history as now as a grandfather, handiman, and world traveler. Life will now be on his schedule, he says, rather than the other way around!