After 25 years of dedicated service in education, Hamilton High School resource room teacher Tara Dessauer is officially retiring from the classroom — but not from making a difference in the lives of students.
Dessauer, who spent the final seven years of her career at Hamilton, quickly became a beloved member of the Hawkeye community. With her warm personality, passion for student success, and deep care for both kids and colleagues, she made a lasting impact far beyond the classroom.
“This is a really tight community,” Dessauer said. “You can tell the staff truly cares about the students. A lot of teachers here have spent their whole careers in Hamilton — once people come here, they don’t want to leave. That says a lot.”
While her time in Hamilton may have started later in her career, her journey in education began with a personal mission. Inspired by her brother’s academic challenges growing up, Dessauer was determined to help students feel supported and seen — especially those who struggle in reading, writing, and math.
“I didn’t want any kid to go through school feeling like nobody was going to help them,” she said. “That’s why I do what I do.”
In her role as a resource room teacher, Dessauer worked closely with students who needed individualized academic support — and with a team of staff who shared her commitment to every learner’s growth.
“In a department like ours, it’s not just ‘my’ caseload — it’s our caseload,” she explained. “We work together to support each other’s students, and that kind of collaboration builds more than just professional respect. It creates real friendships.”
While Dessauer is retiring from the classroom, she’s not done helping kids. With a master’s degree in counseling, she plans to continue working with students in some capacity — though she’s not quite sure what that looks like yet.
“I’ve always said, when I could retire from teaching in the classroom, I would. But that doesn’t mean I’m done working with kids,” she said. “That part of my heart will never go away.”
Dessauer says she’ll miss the relationships most — not just with students, but with the staff who brought joy, humor, and support to her every day.
“In a job like ours, you need people around you who make it fun,” she said with tears. “That’s what I’m going to miss the most — the day-in and day-out with the people who keep you going.”
