By all accounts, Sgt. Maj. Rich Wilson was the kind of teacher most students enjoyed learning from and classroom instructors and staff enjoyed working with.
Next week, he’ll set out with a new set of orders as he enters retirement.
This week, Wilson will retire as a fifth-grade teacher at Falcon Ridge Elementary School. He was hired by the school district as a fourthgrade teacher in 1989. With the exception of his military responsibilities, he has been a constant figure at New Prague’s Elementary school, later renamed Falcon Ridge for about three-dozen years.
Wilson is one of four retirees from the New Prague School District. The others include Ann Johnson, an occupational therapist with 19 years of service at Raven Stream Elementary and the middle school; Barbara Zweber, an occupational therapist with 20 years of service at Central Education Campus; and Stephanie Cline, an art teacher with 16 years of service at Eagle View Elementary.
Wilson plans to move to Alexandria where he and his w i f e , Emi l y, will live. His plans include substitute teaching a few days a week, possibly working in a bike shop and spending time working on projects. He’ll likely stop in for occasional visits with friends and former co-workers in New Prague. He’s pleased to say at least one of his former students is a teacher.
Wilson is not only retiring from teaching elementary school students, he also retired from the United States Army Reserve where he served for 22 years. He earned the rank of command sergeant major. Between 2002-2004, he spent about 18 months in support of Operation Noble Eagle in Wisconsin to train people heading to war. He took time away from school in 2007 for deployment.
He served as a battalion command sergeant major in Iraq and was awarded the star for his service supporting the 1,000 people under his command. He lists the highlights of his military service as serving in the U.S. Army’s airborne air assault group and being awarded the bronze star.
Wilson is currently still supporting the military with the bike team known as Bike Army. The team has an annual reunion and with their bus they have made it to a number of rides to support our veterans. Wilson is well known as a cycling enthusiast. He has ridden in RAGBRAI, the ride through Iowa and has frequently ridden his bike to school over the years. His Raleigh bike has over 50,000 miles on it.
After graduating from high school in Park Rapids, Minn., he joined the Army Reserve as a means to pay for college. He attended a military recruiting event and passed on the Navy because he couldn’t swim. Wilson went to Moorhead State University and studied elementary education uncertain if he was truly interested in being a teacher. He tried working in a summer scout camp, a move which helped assure him it was the right decision.
Some might see an overlap between Sgt. Maj. Wilson and Mr. Wilson. His teaching style has a touch of discipline to it. Wilson expects fifth-graders to utilize some of the...
To see more on this story pick up the May 29, 2025 print edition of The New Prague Times.
After 36 years, Sgt. Major Wilson calls it a career in NP Schools
