The first time I met Paul T. Cyr was not at my job interview. The job opening was initially just for high school, so it was only Mr. Lorenz and Mr. Obermiller, superintendent and principal at the time, respectively. However, when I was hired, I was given teaching assignments in both the high school and the middle school.
I came over to Ellendale one day after I had received my contract in order to pick up some textbooks and begin planning my curriculum. Mr. Cyr met me there and was a whirlwind of activity. I hardly knew what to think of this man that would go on to be my boss for the next 17 years.
Of course, Mr. Cyr has been in the NRHEG school district much longer than I have, and the footprint he is leaving behind as he retires is much larger than his stature might indicate.
Here is one of the best tributes I can give to Mr. Cyr: You always know where you stand with him. There is no chicanery or subterfuge in how he deals with people. If he’s upset with you, it will be apparent quickly. If you’ve done something that pleases him, he will recognize it. Many people have been on both ends of this spectrum, especially his wrestlers.
I’ve often heard what a great math teacher Mr. Cyr was before getting his administrative degree. I know he missed the classroom, because when he had the chance to teach a class again a number of years back, he was like a kid in a candy store. Even without that class, you could often find him in a study hall helping kids with their math work.
Mr. Cyr could be a polarizing figure, of course. There are plenty of people who do not like his bluntness, perhaps because the truth hurts, or perhaps because they were not prepared for a principal who would tell it the way he saw it. Any number of “puffed-up toads,” “savages,” and “bawl-face liars” have trod the corridors of our school in my time here.
How did Mr. Cyr help me most as a teacher? By staying out of my way. I don’t always do things in a traditional teaching style, but he has rarely stepped in and said that I couldn’t do something, even if he fit that said traditional style. Early in my career, he would give advice on a few things, and then just got out of my way. This really helped me flourish in the classroom, not having to worry about someone always looking over my shoulder.
Maybe we need more Mr. Cyrs in this world. Maybe we need more people to tell it the way they see it and to avoid the kumbaya attitude that seems to encompass our society. We don’t need to hold hands, sway, and sing together so we all feel good about ourselves; sometimes we just need a rude awakening.
When we were just the middle school in Ellendale, Mr. Cyr always knew what was happening in each class. You would see him in the halls between most classes, and he knew every kid by name and probably knew something about each one. Since we’ve merged to a 6-12 building in New Richland, that has become more difficult, and I know the monumental tasks have worn on him as he nears the home stretch of his career.
What will Mr. Cyr do in retirement? I’m not sure even he knows. He’ll probably spend more time in Oklee with his parents. I know he’ll get more hunting done. But I’d be surprised to see him completely disappear from life in our school district. He’s become such a part of the fabric here that to lose him in every way would be difficult. Best of luck with your retirement, Mr. Cyr; may it bring you all the happiness you desire!
Word of the Week: This week’s word is Mr. Cyr’s favorite word, plethora, which means a great amount, as in, “After a plethora of years in education, Paul Cyr was able to retire.” Impress your friends and confuse your enemies!