Keith Lipinski has been teaching at St. Francis for almost three decades and the number of students he has taught and coached throughout the years is astonishing.

Lipinski started teaching school in 1990 at Butterfield High School in southern Minnesota and stayed for several years. 

“Then my fiancé (at that time and now my wife, of course) Renee was in the United States Navy as a Corpsman. So I ended up down in Texas for a year, coaching down there at Corpus Christi High School,” said Lipinski. “I was a football coach down there, baseball coach, and more importantly taught economics. Then I ended up out on the east coast and I was at North Stafford High School from 1993 to 1994, where I taught and coached out there for a year.”

Following those years of teaching Lipinski ended up in St. Francis in 1994. Although teaching wasn’t necessarily always his dream, there were some important educators in his own life that led him to the profession. 

“I’ve always had an interest in history since I was in about the 2nd or 3rd grade and I think a lot of times there are  things in life that lead you in a certain direction,” said Lipiniski. “For me I was walking out of football practice one day and a football coach said that I had been recruited for college football. That kind of led me in that direction to think about college, my love of American history and also, of course, sports – which eventually got me to where I am today.”

As Lipinski looks back on his 32 years of teaching he thinks about the highlights of his career. 

“You know if I had to look back on my years, it has of course gone by fast,” said Lipinski. “I think working with kids is number one and number two –  my colleagues. We have such a fun time; we really enjoy what we’re doing in the social studies area. The staff at St. Francis has been great. I love working with the staff and also, of course, the coach’s relationship throughout the years. Whether that be wrestling or football for me, it’s probably been the two most enjoyable aspects of my career.”