Once a Chief, Always a Chief: Retirees 2019

There’s been a lot [of favorite moments]. I met a lot of interesting students that have some amazing talents and to see what they’ve done in the future. I taught Miss NJ...one of my former students [was] inducted into the academic hall of fame; he was a naval officer. I guess seeing both of my children here at Cherokee. That was a unique experience sharing their day to day and getting to know ...

This wasn’t a job, this was a joy. Every time you see that ‘aha moment’ in a kid’s eye, it makes everything worth it. It’s such a rush. I came on this profession kind of by chance; I was going to be a lawyer.I stumbled into teaching, and it was like ‘oh my god this is what I feel I was born to do because I’m so passionate about it that it was like I was guided into it somehow. It’...

I started speaking Spanish when I was a kid because my dad spoke Spanish and because I grew up on a farm and we had migrant workers on our farm. I learned at a young age how to speak Spanish so with that I developed a love for it. Then I had a grandma, who her English wasn’t very good, so I also grew up trying to speak Italian with her. I really didn’t learn proper Italian until I went to college...

The curriculum, while important, isn’t the most important thing you should learn in school. What’s important to learn is how to value yourself and to value others. To give respect and get it in return is more important than any test grade. It’s about how you felt in that class and how you make others feel. [My favorite memory is] the kids, it’s always the kids. Seeing their faces, witnessi...

Teaching at Cherokee has impacted my life because it’s not just me teaching. It’s me teaching and learning every day, so I learn about the students and I learn with the students. I might be a teacher of Spanish, but I am an educator, so I like to prepare my kids for life . . I don’t know how much Spanish they’re going to remember . . . but I like to really, really get into them the sense of bein...

Thank you Mr. Powell!

Thank you Mrs. Tackacs!

Thank you Mr. Ivory!