Mark Mow attended his final school board meeting Tuesday, ending a 42 year career in Elkhart.

Mow joined about 20 others in retiring this year. Many were received by the board and joked with Mow as he thanked them for their service.

"Those folks are really what make the school system work and work so smoothly and everybody that was there this evening and all the names that were read those are all incredibly dedicated and that's the hard part to leave," said Mow.

Mow started with Elkhart Community Schools in 1970 as a middle school science teacher. He worked his way through several Elkhart schools before signing on as superintendent in 2002.

"I still look back on those days very fondly and unfortunately, well fortunately and unfortunately some of my students when I first taught have grandchildren now, so then you know it's time," laughed Mow.

After the meeting, several teachers and administrators came up to him and thanked him for his service to the district. Many recalled times he helped them through turbulent times.

Mow said he plans to remain in Elkhart and volunteer within the community.

"Horizon Project, Boys and Girls Club, some of those things, so in that way I’ll be involved, but the new superintendent gets to steer the ship all by himself," said Mow.