Every year at this time students begin to get excited for summer while thinking about next year. The same can be said for the school as staff members make the decision to either return to the school or try a new opportunity somewhere else. It’s a rite of spring at schools across the country, but on campus it seems more pronounced than ever before.

“I think this year, just because we have coaches and principals leaving it makes it seem like a bigger deal, but every year we have about 5 or 6 teachers who leave,” principal Gavan Goodrich said.

An unofficial tally has at least 15 teachers and administrators leaving with the possibility of more moves still to come.

“I feel like there are a lot of teachers that are leaving the school this year, and it’s sad because most of them are good teachers,” sophomore Caroline Witken said. “I just hope the new teachers that fill their positions are good.”

One of the areas that will see the most change is in the Spanish program as two out of three Spanish teachers have resigned.

“I don’t know how it is going to affect the Spanish program yet,” Spanish teacher Mallin Hernandez said. “Some teachers may come from the middle school to work up here if they choose to do that. I know that there are positions that are going to be open and it is going to be open to teachers from other districts. We have a team going and it’s hard to get used to another team, but if they come from the middle school we already know them and they are cool to work with. If they come from the outside it will just be a new thing to get used to.”

The search for new teachers and coaches is already well underway.

“When a teacher resigns, what we do is post that job and the next step we go through is we look through applications,” associate principal Chris Mayfield said. “We have a pretty extensive interview process that we use to try and find the best candidate. From our standpoint, the sooner that we start that process, the more likely we are to have a quality pool of applicants. Anytime we get a resignation we try and get those posted immediately and really we start that process of looking for a teacher immediately. As we have had some resignations, particularly around our coaches this year, we have already started looking and in fact have already hired a volleyball coach and a girls basketball coach. We are trying to move those processes along as fast as we can.”

Below are some final words to the school from a few of the teachers who will not be  on returning.

“

The kids and parents of this school are wonderful. In my experience with parents and kids here it has been the most positive experience ever.

— Pedro Perdomo

“

After 25 years of teaching, I’m retiring from LHS with some of the most remarkable memories and students I’ve ever taught. The English department is, bar none, the best department in the school, and I’ll going to miss all of the English teachers, along with the rest of the staff, so much. And my students? They are simply the best. I hope they’ll remember me with a smile.

— Ginny Clark

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I wish [my students] the best of luck in their future endeavors and that I hope they will carry on with their studies of the Spanish language!

— Maryline Gengoux

“

Teaching is only one of the five very different careers I have had (so far), but the one that I will miss the most; many of you have left fingerprints on my heart. I have rejoiced and agonized over your successes and challenges and I will watch with anticipation as you find your purpose and passion in life. These are my final words to you all: Life is far too short to do all that you love. Give yourself permission to let go of the mundane – regardless of the reward or prestige – and focus on what really drives you. And you decide what that will be. You.

— Jan Delisle