BREAKING NEWS: Decorah School Superintendent Mark Lane will resign as of next June 30th

Decorah School Superintendent Mark Lane has told members of the Decorah School Board that he is resigning as of June 30th, 2022—the end of the 2021-2022 fiscal year. In a letter to the school board, Lane said he is resigning "due to family circumstances that lead us to feel a need to live in closer proximity to our parents, adult children, siblings, and nieces and nephews." Lane tells decorahnews.com, "Our perspective has changed." He writes in his letter of resignation that his family is "now centering our life on family first." He adds, "We want to be able to be over to our parents' homes in 10 to 15 minutes to help with yard work, or to be available to babysit our nephews and nieces so our siblings can have a date night with their partners. We also have faith that work opportunities that suit these wants will come along." Lane says he is proud of what has been accomplished in the Decorah Community School District while he has been superintendent. "I feel blessed to have had the opportunity to work and live in Decorah." (Complete text of Decorah School Superintendent Mark Lane's letter to the school board): November 15, 2021 Dear Decorah CSD Board of Directors: Please accept my letter of resignation effective at the completion of the 2021-2022 fiscal year. My last day of work will be Thursday, June 30, 2022. I am resigning my position due to family circumstances that lead us to feel a need to live in closer proximity to our parents, adult children, siblings, and nieces and nephews. Working with you and the staff of Decorah Schools has been an incredible honor and pleasure. Decorah is an exemplary public school system and that is true because of the people who serve our students and community. Over the past 26 years, my family has lived a life in deference to my career ambitions. I have always been able to pursue the work I felt called to do because my wife and children were willing to support me and follow my lead. Over the past year, we have decided that is no longer the way we want to live. We are now centering our life on family first. At this time, I don't know what I will do next in my work life. Carla and I do know we want to be able to be over to our parents' homes in 10 to 15 minutes to help with yard work, or to be available to babysit our nephews and nieces so our siblings can have a date night with their partners. We also have faith that work opportunities that suit these wants will come along. I feel blessed to have had the opportunity to work and live in Decorah. I am especially thankful to the teachers who served my son in fourth, fifth, and sixth grades. He has had wonderful learning experiences, and I know when he is an adult he will recall his Decorah teachers with great admiration and fondness. Thank you for the opportunity you gave me to serve as superintendent. I am proud of what we have done together. Sincerely, Mark M. Lane