How long have you taught at PRHS? This is my 34th year teaching at Paso and my 37th year teaching.

What will you miss about the school/students? I will miss the opportunity to assist students reach and put together plans for their future. I will miss my fellow teachers because of their passion for learning and life.

What won’t you miss about your experience teaching at the high school? I won’t miss the fact that in school we are all constantly run by “the bell.”

What are your plans after you leave? My retirement time will be spent with my family as I have missed numerous events in their life because of coaching football for 25 years, he does?? baseball for 21 years, and girls soccer for 5 years.

What is your favorite memory of PRHS? There isn’t just one memory I will have about Paso High. I have many good memories about successes and triumphs in the classroom and on the sports’ fields.

Do you have any advice for students? All students need to find their passion and follow their dreams. Go bearcats!

How long have you taught at PRHS? My career with Paso Robles High School began August 1995, this is my 19th year. I started as the Careers with Children teacher and then in 2001 I became the Home Economics teacher. From 2007 – 2009 I had the great honor to counsel students, until budget cuts returned me to teaching again.

What will you miss about the school/students? I have taught infants to college students since 1976. I have stayed in contact with many students and their families over the years, through Facebook and lunch conversations, so I won’t have to miss them.

What won’t you miss about your experience teaching at the high school? I won’t miss waiting for the bell to ring to pee.

What are your plans after you leave? I am very fortunate to start a new chapter in my life as a Real Estate agent with the Coldwell Banker Premier Real Estate office in Paso Robles. I’m inviting everyone to come and visit me there! 

What is your favorite memory of PRHS? I truly loved being a counselor; working one on one with students and their family’s, helping them sort out issues, planning for their future and getting to know them as individuals.

How long have you taught at PRHS? I became a public high school teacher later in life, in my early 40’s; however, I began teaching tennis when I was seventeen years old and since my mid 20’s had taught Sunday school and trained executives.  While I was attending Cal Poly to obtain my teaching credential in 1996, I began to substitute teach at PRHS, and when I received my credential in 1997, I was hired as an English teacher here.

What will you miss about the school/students? I will most definitely miss having the privilege and opportunity to contribute to the intellect, values, and futures of my students and the incredible reciprocal blessings I personally received from our rich class discussions, my students’ wisdom, enthusiasm for life and the future, their friendships, gratitude, and respect; all of which have made me a better person.  Without a doubt, I will miss the AVID program…watching the life-long successes begotten through the “individual determination” of every single AVID student and my AVID teacher colleagues who are hands down the best all-around teachers in the world.  I don’t know if I could retire, if I were not confident that many of my AVID students’ and colleagues’ friendships will endure forever!

What won’t you miss about your experience teaching at the high school? I will not miss the stifling, encroaching government involvement in the curriculum and teaching process.  Because of these constant changes and regulations, we are no longer afforded the opportunity as professionals to develop, refine, perfect, deliver, and love our curriculum that we know would inspire and equip our students to be contributing members of society and life-long learners.

What are your plans after you leave? I’m so very fortunate to be able to retire at a relatively young age 😉 so that I can devote the rest of my life to volunteering and serving others.  Right now I volunteer at and/or hold leadership positions with AFS (an exchange student organization), ICare International (provider of eye glasses to poverty stricken areas around the world—AVID students volunteer with me!), and Templeton Presbyterian Church (where you can find me most of the time). I’m not certain yet exactly where and what you will find me doing in the future, but I hope to utilize my teaching skills and love for ministering to the spiritual needs of people around the world…maybe in an orphanage in Turkey or India!

What is your favorite memory of PRHS? Each year I’m blown away by the incredible insights, goals, talents, skills, and potential of our PRHS students.  I have such fond memories of watching our AVID students start their freshman year with shaky self-confidence but lofty goals and finish their senior year with “individual determination” and college acceptances.  Watching my students participate and succeed in sports, drama, art, Skills USA, and our AG program is high on my list of memories also.

What is your advice to the student body? Do be respectful, engaged, deep-thinking, self-reflecting human beings who pursue truth and enlightenment, purpose and meaning.  Do this so you become our next generation of leaders who will preserve our freedoms, steward our economy, and make the American Dream a reality for all.  I’m counting on you.