The Dieringer School District is by no means a large district today, but back when recently retired Principal Pat Keaton got his start, it was even smaller.

“Staff at that time was only nine teachers so we taught multiple subjects,” he said of his first job at North Tapps Middle School more than two decadesago, breaking into a wide smile.

Trained to teach History at Western Washington University, Keaton found himself also in front of the school’s technology class as well as teaching typing. And every now and again, Keaton said he’d have to take the shop teacher to lunch to get him to fix one of the old manual typewriters so class could continue.

But the tiny district’s charm appealed to him and he “fell in love with the place” during his days as a substitute. So when the opportunity to teach in Dieringer came up, Keaton jumped at it.

This June, after 21 years, Keaton said goodbye to Dieringer, retiring from his position as the principal of North Tapps Middle School, the same place it all began for him.

It’s bittersweet for Keaton, who looks forward to his retirement, but said he will miss the students and the people of the district he has called home for almost his entire professional career.

Keaton said he knew he wanted to work in a smaller setting and his sister recommended he put in an application at the tiny school district around Lake Tapps.

“I went to that school and it was like dropping back to the 1950s,” he said, citing the respect, behavior and focus of the students.

It reminded him of growing up in Snohomish County.

“My community that I grew up in was small and close knit,” he said. “Our particular had a good relationship with our teachers, particularly in junior high.”

When Keaton was in seventh grade, his father died and he said a math teacher at school reached out to him and his family, taking Keaton and other students into Seattle to see shows and taking an interest in his life.

It was a formative experience for Keaton, who decided teaching was his calling as well and that he wanted to work in a middle school, where he said he felt he could make a real impact.

“The kids at this age are old enough to appreciate what adults are doing for them and are enthusiastic about events in their lives,” he said. “They’re never dull.”

Keaton also said he thinks most adults would be surprised at how capable most middle school kids are and breaks out laughing while telling a story about a day he forgot to get a substitute for a teacher who was sick.

During third period, he walked past the class and saw one of the students leading the lessons.

Apparently, when the teacher didn’t show up, the students found a lesson plan and got to work on their own.

“The kids were all working diligently on the assignment!” he said, laughing.

The principal at North Tapps at the time he was hired was a man named Ruggles Larson and Keaton said Larson provided a tremendous inspiration and showed him how a middle school could be exciting and fun.

“Ruggles lit the torch,” he said.

Larson created an environment that kids loved going to, Keaton said, and provided non-stop activities from academics to sports to evening events.

“Ruggles was at the center,” he said.

Keaton spoke of Larson often and followed his lead, getting involved and trying to be at the center of school events himself. In fact, on of his favorite parts of the day was the time he got to spend as referee during the daily four-square games that broke out at recess.

Though he rarely jumped in to the game himself, Keaton relished the game and loved calling out whatever the daily rules were (“It’s double-tap Tuesday!”).

“My favorite part of the day is lunch,” he said. “It’s not when I get to eat, it’s when I get to see kids one-on-one.”

Keaton said he’ll also miss the events and happening planned by what he called “the best staff in the state.”

“I really like the events the teachers put together,” he said.

But after more than 25 years of teaching and as principal, Keaton decided it was time to step away.

“I’ve been on point for 26 years now and that can be good but it can also be a stressful position too,” he said. “And it’s time for me to take a step back.”

Keaton said he also doesn’t want to overstay his welcome.

“I don’t want anyone to say I’m not giving my best effort toward the position,” he said.

Keaton said he plans to do a lot of volunteering and play a lot of golf with his new free time. He also hopes to do some traveling and plans to stay involved with the Dieringer Education Foundation, something he helped establish. He may even get back to substituting.

But as the last school year came to a close and the final games of lunchtime four square came to a close, it was the day-to-day of middle school life that he said he would miss the most, like when the bell rings to bring the kids in from lunch.

“See that?” he said as the kids headed back to the school building and he gathered the ball from that day’s game. “I’m going to miss watching them running into the building after lunch.”