Celebrating the Beichleys: Decades of Dedication to Waukee Students

Darwin and Char Beichley have dedicated much of their lives — a combined total of 80 years — to serving Waukee Community School District students. Char retired in 2008 after teaching in the District for 28 years. Darwin accumulated an amazing five decades to Waukee CSD as a teacher and bus driver. He stepped away from teaching after 33 years and officially retired as a bus driver this September.

A Glimpse into the Past

In 1972, Darwin started as a high school math teacher. Just a few years later, in 1979, he took on the added responsibility of driving school buses. At that time, the District looked a lot different. Kindergarten through 12th grade all shared one building — what we now know as the Vince Meyer Learning Center. With all the grades on the same bell schedule, Darwin’s day began with driving the bus in the morning, teaching all day, and hopping back on the bus in the afternoon. The District had only seven bus routes then, compared to 85 routes at Waukee CSD today!

“Driving buses fit right into my schedule,” Darwin recalls. “Once the District grew and the bell schedules changed, I had to cut back to driving only in the mornings to keep up with teaching.”

Career Highlights

Ask Darwin and Char about their favorite memories, and they’ll light up with stories that stretch far beyond the classroom. While  Darwin loved teaching, he said there was something special about driving buses for student activities. He recalls it being a highlight of his career.

“Driving the bus let me be part of so many different things,” Darwin shares. “I especially loved driving the basketball teams because I got involved in the games by keeping the official scorebook on the bench.”

For Char, the relationships she built with her elementary school students were the most meaningful part of her career. She enjoyed watching them grow up and move on to high school.

“I got to be a part of activities that happened in the summer, like band camp,” Char said. “I got to see some of my students I had in elementary school be in the high school marching band — that was so neat.” 

Witnessing Growth

Darwin and Char had a front-row seat to Waukee’s incredible growth. Darwin reflects with amazement on how much the District has changed.

“It’s crazy to think about how Waukee went from being a small farming community to one of the largest school districts in Iowa,” Darwin explains. “When we began competing against the larger schools, it seemed like there was no way a school like Waukee could play a school like Valley, but we did and it wasn’t a terrible match-up.”

Char adds that while the District has grown, some things remain the same.

“Walking through the hallways now feels a lot like it did 30 years ago,” Char notes. “Yes, teaching methods have evolved, but the joy and excitement of the students, along with the goals and values of teaching, haven’t changed.”

Retirement Life

Waukee CSD celebrated Darwin’s retirement and the couple’s service to the District at a school board meeting in September. Superintendent Dr. Brad Buck shared photos of the couple, and the board applauded them for their outstanding commitment. “We just wanted to take a moment to highlight Darwin, and Dar and Char together. Congratulations and well done,” Dr. Buck said during the meeting. “Enjoy that retirement!”

Although Darwin has only been retired for a month, the Beichleys are already making the most of it. They recently checked off a bucket list item with a trip to Colorado to see the fall leaves, and they’re eager to continue their travels and enjoy this next chapter of life.