Elgin School Office: Brenda Kuhlman's 52-Year Tenure
Administrative assistant Brenda Kuhlman has managed operations at Pope John XXIII Central Catholic School since age 17, serving multiple generations of students and staff.
By Mariam Saleh ·
Brenda Kuhlman opened the front door of Pope John XXIII Central Catholic School in Elgin, Nebraska, this morning to greet students. She has held the position of administrative assistant and office manager at the institution for 52 years. The role began when she was 17 years old, a tenure that has spanned more than half a century of school operations.
The school opened in 1967, eight years before Kuhlman started working there. She grew up southwest of Clearwater, Nebraska, and attended a country school before transferring to high school in Elgin. The transition was abrupt. She described moving from a class of four students to a high school class of 56. In December of her senior year, the administrator asked if she would be interested in the job because the previous secretary was leaving. She accepted.
Kuhlman met her husband at the school and raised six children in the area south of Raeville. Her grandchildren now attend the same institution. Lauren Borer, a teacher at the school, recalled Kuhlman as a "school mom" when she was a seventh grader. Borer noted that her own children now view Kuhlman as a "school grandma." Kuhlman said the school serves eight parishes, with students commuting from communities including Raeville, Petersburg, Neligh, Clearwater, and Ewing.
The school currently enrolls approximately 130 students from prekindergarten through 12th grade. Kuhlman's duties range from managing funds to returning lost backpacks. She maintains scrapbooks that preserve the school's history, including photographs of graduates displayed in her office. Deb Warren, a classmate who graduated in 1972 and later served as development director, described Kuhlman as driven and detailed. Warren said Kuhlman knows all the details of past events and keeps the school running like a well-oiled machine.
Kuhlman is often invited to graduations, weddings, and baby announcements for students and their families. She said younger students sometimes ask why she is in town, assuming she lives at the school. She admitted it is harder to see classes leave as she gets older. Kuhlman joked that she will continue working as long as her health allows or until they kick her out. She is in no hurry to retire while watching generations grow up in Elgin.
The administrative structure relies on Kuhlman's long-term memory and routine. She knows the stories, the history, and the people. If the staff has a question about what happened in the past, she provides the answer. Her presence in the office is a constant fixture in the daily lives of the 130 students and the surrounding parishes.
