GLENDALE, AZ — As her school celebrates four decades this week, Susan Schmitt is reflecting on the students and colleagues who have shaped her career — while preparing to leave the classroom at the end of the school year.
For Schmitt, the timing feels right.
She said her decision to retire is not about dissatisfaction. She still enjoys spending time with students and remains proud of the school, its teachers and the students who walk through its doors.
The school, which opened its doors in 1986, is marking its 40th anniversary during homecoming week.
More than 300 alumni have RSVP'd for the celebration, with many expected to return from the 1990s, Schmitt said.
The celebration will include a barbecue, the induction of six people into the school’s Hall of Fame, a football game and a post-game gathering at a local business owned by an alumnus.
For Schmitt, the anniversary is also a chance to reflect on what has kept the school special through four decades.
She points to the school’s motto: “It’s just better here.”
Nearly 700 students attend through open enrollment, she said, including students who pass by their neighborhood schools to attend.
Schmitt said one of the most important parts of that culture is student leadership.
She advised Student Council for 21 years before leaving the classroom for administration, now serving as Ironwood's Vice-Principal.
Through Student Council, students learn skills that can follow them long after they graduate, including time management, teamwork and how to work with others.
“I’ve always taken a lot of pride - helping develop leaders for what they’re going to do post high school,” Schmitt said.
Over the years, Schmitt said she has watched schools and students face new challenges, particularly in the years following the COVID-19 pandemic.
But she said those challenges have not changed her belief in students or her appreciation for the teachers who work with them every day.
The difficult moments, she said, do not erase the hard work students put in or the dedication teachers bring to their jobs.
And perhaps the greatest reward comes years later, when those students come back.
Schmitt said seeing former students return as successful adults is among the most meaningful parts of her career.
“It just makes you really proud of the impact that you’ve had on different students,” she said.
Now, as the school celebrates 40 years, Schmitt is preparing for her own next chapter.
She knows walking away will be difficult.
“It will be a difficult decision to walk away from, because I do still really enjoy what I do,” Schmitt said. “But it’s just time.”
IHS alum looking for information on Friday's events tied Homecoming and the 40th celebration can visit the Ironwood Facebook Page.
