Retired Teachers’ Luncheon 2025
As attendees entered the Elkhorn Public Schools Foundation’s Alumni Center for the Retired Teachers’ Luncheon, they saw throwback pictures of event attendees from their teaching days scattered on each of the tables. There were black and white photos taken from high school yearbooks as far back as the 70s to group shots in color featuring 90s hairstyles and fashion.
Each of the pictures captured a memory for these retired Elkhorn Public Schools’ teachers. Throughout the room, you could hear teachers laughing and wondering how the Foundation found these old photos. Others found pictures of their friend and brought the photos to them or posed with images of their younger selves.
At this event filled with love, nostalgia, and connection, the throwback photos were a great way to celebrate how the Elkhorn schools were and what they’ve grown to be now. Attendees were encouraged to take their pictures home and show them to friends who weren’t at the event.
The annual Retired Teachers’ Luncheon took place on Wednesday, November 12th. The luncheon was an opportunity for former colleagues to catch up and reminisce while also learning about the EPS’ security plan from Elkhorn High School 2006 alumni and current EPS Director of School Safety, Brian Kempf. Other featured guests were a barbershop quartet with two retired EPS teachers, Gene Torrens and Charlie Rohlfing.
The Foundation hosts this annual luncheon as an opportunity to thank and give back to retired EPS teachers for their service to the district by providing them an opportunity to connect with former coworkers and friends while also giving them an update on the district.
To begin the luncheon, the barbershop quartet sang several songs including “The National Anthem,” “The Wonderful Day Medley,” and “This Little Light of Mine.”
Charlie, former school counselor, and Gene, former choir director, both taught at Elkhorn High School, and Charlie noted that this was the first time they’ve sung together for an Elkhorn crowd since 2003!
The songs were a great, hopeful introduction into this year’s presentation from Brian Kempf. Brian began his presentation by sharing how it feels “full-circle” to grow up in Elkhorn, spend years in various security roles, and now return to Elkhorn and work for EPS. He said, “Many of the students you had, we go on to do very good things, and I’m really happy and excited that … I’m bringing it back to Elkhorn.”
As the Director of School Safety, Brian discussed the importance of layered security at the Elkhorn Public Schools, some of the key security projects from his three years in the job, and the role of empowering teachers and students.
For Brian, teaching students and staff proper safety protocols is an essential life skill. In critical situations, “our staff and our students are the first responders. We know rapid notification saves lives,” Brian said. “What-ifs are endless, but my goal is to provide a framework that our teachers can apply to any situation.”
Ultimately, the goal is to provide students and staff with tools and training in order to feel empowered if a situation would occur. “The testament [for the Elkhorn Public Schools] isn’t that it hasn’t happened here because we’ve been lucky. It’s because all of you as educators have been influential in someone’s life, and you never know who you’ve intervened with and who’ve you been nice to,” Brian explained.
Following Brian’s presentation, the quartet ended the luncheon with singing “When There’s Love at Home” and “That Old Quartet of Mine.”
The Retired Teachers’ Luncheon is the perfect cross section of attendees from individuals who have been retired for a long time, recent retirees, former superintendents, the current superintendent – Dr. Bary Habrock, and alumni.
This year more than 55 people attended the luncheon, and we are hoping to have more next year! We would love to grow this event every year and bring more retired teachers together.. If you or someone you know is a retired Elkhorn Public Schools’ teacher, please let us know at alumni@elkhornfoundation.org, and we will get you on our guest list for next year!
Event Pictures & Video
You can view the pictures in the slider at the top of the page, visit our Facebook page, or click the button below to view and download pictures.
Watch our video recap featuring a song from the barbershop quartet!
