Retiring transportation director remembered

Thursday, March 10, 2011

BY JOSH GARVEY Staff Writer

CLOVERDALE-- The transportation director at the Cloverdale Community School will be retiring March 18.

Rob Schroer will be leaving the school district after 17 years. Cloverdale High School principal Sonny Stoltz said Schroer performed a variety of tasks around the schools.

"He's one of those people that's a doer," Stoltz said. "His job title doesn't fit just a single description. Rob is the kind of person that's catch all. He'd pick up trash, he would mow, he would sometimes act as an administrator."

Stoltz said the versatility Schroer displayed has been a boon for Cloverdale schools.

"In a shrinking economy where we're asking people to do more, he's kind of an ideal person for the position he's in," Stoltz said." At 4 a.m. on a snowy morning, you can call him and he'd be out checking the roads. He's probably jump started more vehicles than AAA.

"He's always available to just help anyone out. It's amazing to have someone like that in our corporation for years, to take advantage of that and then all of a sudden to realize they're leaving," he said.

Stoltz said Schroer was a local who, "went from the cornfield to the position he's in where he's basically done everything."

Stoltz said although someone else might take the position Schroer holds, there would still be something missing.

"When a corporation has somebody like a Rob Schroer, you don't know what you have until it's gone. His leaving will have a ripple effect in everything that we see happen, for the kids or just anything that goes on in the school," he said.

Susan Winsted, a driver who worked with Schroer said he is a pleasure to work with.

"He is a card," she said. "His fun filled antics were the topic of many a conversation. He really enjoyed going out during and after the storms if a bus had a problem.

"When he came up to you, he was always smiling. He enjoyed getting out there and helping us out. He was real hands on. The kids really like him," Winsted said.

Stoltz said that sense of humor and ability to get along with others might help to explain why Schroer has lasted so long as the transportation director.

"Sometimes, when you get into education or the business field, you're stressed," Stoltz said. "He seems to add a little bit of humor to everything he does. He always tries to find the lighter side of most conversations. It's nice to have someone around that is always going to pick you up, always going to make you laugh."

Stoltz also said Schroer was well aware of what was happening in the community.

"I'd say sometimes that he's like a barber because most of the information in the community travels through his office before it's disseminated. He seems to know a lot about everything. He's going to be deeply missed," Stoltz said.