Friday, September 13, 2024
DE PERE – Effective July 5, 2019, John Zegers, Superintendent of the School District of West De Pere will begin a new chapter in his life as he plans to retire.
The school board accepted Zegers’ letter of retirement at its monthly meeting on Jan. 17.
Zegers has been in education for the past 44 years.
Beginning his career as a physical education teacher at Notre Dame in De Pere in 1975. He continued to serve the De Pere community eight years later as he served as an English, physical education teacher and recruitment and development director at his alma mater, Abbot Pennings High School until 1990.
He spent one year at Notre Dame de la Baie Academy as the school’s first director of development.
In 1991, Zegers was announced as the new principal at Notre Dame of De Pere following long-time principal, Joan Klister.
In 1995, John Zegers began his public school career as Principal of John F. Kennedy School in Green Bay.
He continued his administrative leadership for the next 11 years in Green Bay.
In 2006, he was tabbed as superintendent in the Waupun Area School District, where he served for two years.
Zegers jumped at the chance to return to the De Pere area in 2008, where he was chosen as the superintendent for the West De Pere school district.
Some of the accomplishments under Zegers’ leadership at West De Pere would include but are not limited to: maintaining a strong fund balance, increased AP courses for students, one to one technology, a guaranteed and viable 4K-12 curriculum, renovation of athletic facilities (new synthetic turf football/soccer field, weight room expansion), $4.1 million-dollar expansion on to Hemlock Creek Elementary without going to referendum, and most recently a successful $74.7 million dollar referendum for the construction of a new 5/6 intermediate school and renovations to the high school, middle school and Westwood Elementary School.
“Serving as the Superintendent in the School District of West De Pere has been the most rewarding personal journey in my educational career," Zegers stated in his letter of retirement to the school board. "I leave the School District of West De Pere eternally grateful to the Board of Education, students, parents, teachers, support staff and the greater community for their unwavering support over the past 11 years.”
