After more than three decades in education, South Sioux City Community Schools counselor Kelli Rahn is preparing to close a chapter defined by relationships, growth, and a deep belief in students’ potential.
Rahn, who currently serves as a counselor at South Sioux City Middle School, will retire at the end of the 2025-2026 school year, leaving behind a legacy that spans generations of students and families.
Her path into education was shaped early on.“My dad was an educator,” Rahn said. “I knew I liked working with kids, and during my senior year, I spent time helping in a kindergarten classroom. It just felt like a good fit.”
That early calling eventually led her to South Sioux City, where she first arrived as a student teacher at E.N. Swett Elementary. Rahn completed her student teaching under the guidance of Anita Rector, a beloved and highly respected longtime South Sioux City educator whose impact is still felt across the district today. What began as a temporary experience turned into a lifelong career.
“I student taught here, and my husband lived here, so I just stayed,” she said.
Rahn spent 15 years teaching third grade before transitioning into counseling, a role she has held for the past 17 years. Her decision to make that shift came from a desire to connect more deeply with students.
(For the complete story, pick up a copy of the Dakota County Star. Start your subscription by calling 402-494-4264.
