One of the most beloved staff members of St. Charles High, Officer Michael Shipley will be retiring at the end of the month. The impact Shipley has had on the school will never be forgotten. During his time here, Shipley has helped to create a safe, welcoming environment, putting a smile on the faces of everyone he meets, staff and students alike.

Shipley has been the resource officer at St.Charles High for six years, but before that he coached boxing for 20 years. Shipley also served in the military. 

“I was fortunate enough that the unit I was assigned to in the military all they did was police work,” Shipley said. “I fell in love with it then and that’s what I wanted to do.”

Shipley loves the students just as much as they love him. He described his time at St. Charles High by saying, “It has been the best assignment I’ve ever had.” 

Though he was unable to continue coaching boxing, due to accepting his new assignment at St. Charles High, Shipley was still able to make a difference at our school. 

“I still got to be around kids and help kids.” 

Throughout his time at St. Charles High Shipley has been able to make a difference in the lives of so many students, motivating them to do better for themselves. 

“I have an opportunity to impact kids’ lives, and I can see it really pretty quickly,” Shipley said. “There’s been a couple of kids that I really felt like if it had not been for me pushing, and sometimes complaining, sometimes being mad that they wouldn’t have graduated. So getting to be at those graduations seeing those kids, I wasn’t so sure were going to make it, actually walk across that stage and get their diploma is a huge deal for me.” 

Shipley has not only touched the lives of students but also the staff. Marilyn Bizelli worked in the attendance office right next to Shipley. Throughout this time she was able to really get to know him. 

“He is very caring and compassionate, always wants to help people,” Bizelli said.

One attribute that she admired was his ability to help so many kids. Bizelli said her favorite memory of Officer Shipley is “probably everything he’s done for the kids.” 

However Shipley is not just business all the time, according to Bizelli.

“He’s kind of a little jokester when you get to know him.”