Nine teachers are departing Kennedy High School at the end of the year. The teachers include those who teach French, world history, Spanish, math, band, and business education. Some teachers are retiring after decades of service, while others are leaving for family or career reasons. The principal said they aim to replace outstanding teachers with other outstanding teachers. Teachers reflected fondly on their time at Kennedy and interactions with students.

1. news
Teachers givefrom the Kennedy Staff
Nine teachers depart
final farewell
Goodbye. From top left going to the right. Top Row: James Burke, Colleen Kollasch, Deb Snook. Middle Row: Mariann Ryan, Chris Bird,
Kathleen Riffe. Bottom Row: Bill Herkelman, Kevin Murray, Alex Schott.
This year, seven teachers at Kennedy once in a while. to be closer to his kids.
High School will be leaving. Two french Herk reflected on how things have Alex Schott has been working at Kennedy
teachers, as well as one world history, changed over his years at Kennedy. “One for the past nine years. After he leaves this
spanish, math, band instructor, and busi- of the biggest and best changes was put- year, his main priority is to finish getting
ness ed teacher compose the group that is ting lockers in the hallways. They used to his PhD and wants to continue working in
leaving. be down by the counselors office and the education.
Kennedy Principal, Dr. Mary Wilcynski, main office. They moved them up in the The teachers looked back on their favor-
reflects on how she will replace the teach- hallways and it alleviated a lot of conges- ite memories of teaching here at Kennedy.
ers who are leaving. “We look for out- tion down there.” “My favorite memory was the first year
standing teachers to replace people who Colleen Kollasch, world history teacher, we started Kids Against Hunger,” Kath-
are outstanding teachers,” Wilcynski said. has been teaching at Kennedy for the past leen Riffe, french and world humanities
Chris Bird, band instructor, will be going decade. She is leaving this year to be with teacher, said. Riffe has worked at Kennedy
to Harding Middle School to teach band her husband in Madison, WI. the past six years, but has been teaching
there. Kevin Murray will be leaving due to Mariann Ryan, french teacher, has since 1969.
lack of enrollment in business education. worked at Kennedy for the past decade “I have really loved the moments when
Bill Herkelman, or more commonly as well. She is leaving this year to pursue we say something so funny in AP World
known as Herk, will be retiring after 45 other career interests. that it turns into a sign,” Kollasch said.
years of working teaching at Kennedy. Deb Snook came back to Kennedy to “Those are things that I’ll always remem-
Herk has been teaching math since Ken- be a long-term substitute teacher for AP ber.”
nedy’s opening in 1967. “There’s a time Chemistry. Snook retired last year, but “My favorite memory will be interact-
when you know it’s time to retire and came back to fill the position of Jennifer ing with the young people,” Herkelman
it’s getting to that time. I’m not too ex- Lewis, who died last year. said. “I think that’s why I stayed in it so
cited about leaving, but there’s a time [to James Burke, spanish teacher, will be long is because I enjoy interacting with the
go] and now’s the time,” Herk said. Herk leaving to go back to Washington. He has young people and the students that come
doesn’t have any definite plans after re- taught at Kennedy for the past three years. through here.”
tirement, but he does plan on visiting He made the decision to go to Washington isabel neff
Page By Bailey zaputil 11