Seniors are not the only ones leaving high school at the end of the year; a grand total of ten teachers and staff will be retiring and going on with their lives, not having to worry about grading anymore.

Teachers and staff that will leave at the end of this year include Adelyn Parker, English teacher; Holly Weigel, special ED teacher; Al Hill, chemistry teacher; Colleen Ruppert, business teacher; Jean Slott, counselor; Peggy Francik, German teacher; Barb Courter, vocational teacher; Lisa Klaas PE/Health division chair; Jim Campisi, industrial tech teacher; and Pat Kiss, speech pathologist. These teachers and staff have not only enlightened students with essential knowledge, but gave unforgettable memories of countless students.

“[My favorite memories of teaching are] helping students, athletes, and teams achieve their goals, helping get WALC started, beating Oswego East, and winning the conference championship in football, qualifying for team state twice in wrestling, and walking the Grand March with Jordan Ellingwood,” Campisi said.

Francik also had great achievements, such as working in this building for 37 and a half years. Francik has taken students to Germany, Switzerland, and Austria numerous times. She was also first Pom sponsor to take the girls for a state competition, and coached a girl who qualified to London, and she preformed in the New Year’s Day parade.

Likewise Klaas’s favorite memories are when she helped the girls go to State when she was assistant volleyball coach, surviving the tornado of 1990, being nominated by students for teacher awards, becoming friends with some of her students after they grew up, and the Thank You notes from kids and parents over the years.

After working decades in this building, many find retirement as a time to relax, but most of the retiring staff will continue in other careers or find other hobbies.

“I am also a Partner in a campaign called Neriun. It is an exciting new career, but I am looking forward to do it and being very successful,” Ruppert said.

Slott would like to work part time in a counseling office or admission office of a Junior College or a four-year-university.

Hill will look forward to having more time to spend on writing stories, practicing classical guitar and writing songs, and studying and teaching martial arts. Every teacher and staff said they enjoyed working here and they did not regret choosing teaching over a different path.

“I know that teaching presents many challenges, but I know that it has been a privilege serving as a teacher for twenty years. Teaching was a career change for me, and it was a great choice that I would not change”, Parker said. She is not the only one who felt fitting working at this school.

“I have loved every minute of my teaching career. I was very fortunate to have a career doing something I love every day. Many people dread going to work. I look forward to coming to work every day,” Courter said.

Weigel said she would most miss students and staff from several schools in the district. These teachers have given students essential skills and moral lessons. Students can only thank them for the memories they share.