Ch-ch-ch-Changes...

So I am in the middle of listening to Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me on NPR...so I thought I would muse because frankly...how much work can you get done while listening to Wait Wait?

I don't know if anyone else does this (probably not because I am weird), but I like to pursue the websites of my old stomping grounds (Fairbrook Elementary School, Ankeney Middle School, and Beavercreek High School) periodically just to see what has changed personnel-wise since I last haunted the halls.

Surprisingly of all those schools, Fairbrook arguably most resembles the school that I left oh about 10 years ago.  My kindergarten teacher, first grade teacher, third grade teacher, and fourth grade teachers are all still there.  While my second grade teacher retired when I was still in elementary school and my fifth grade teacher retired the year following my class.  Outside of the teachers I actually had there are still a fairly high number of the rest of the staff still there after all these years though the whole of the teachers who taught 6th grade have gone from being dispersed to Ankeney to all of them being retired at this point.  Frankly, I think the biggest change about Fairbrook would be the building itself.  There has been a lot of rennovation to the building since I left, so it would perhaps be a shock at how technology has developed and by some of the new facilities (i.e. the IMC and Art Room).  Let me just say modulars rule!

It is shocking how much Ankeney has changed since I was there about 8 years ago.  There are now 3 eighth grade teams?  And what is up with the PRIDE team changing there name to the Golden Flashes?  A lot of pilage has been done bringing teachers from Ankeney to BHS, so not all the familiar faces are completely out, but seriously I doubt I would be remembered much at all if I were to go back today.  Mrs. Bianco (at BHS), Mrs. Ford (still there), Mr. Seilhammer (retired), Miss Ahlers (now Mrs. Dixon and now a counselor),  Mrs. Knudson (retired), Mr. Wegley (at BHS), Mr. Dukes (???), Mr. Vinson (still there).  Mrs. Getter and Ms. Gribler have retired and the Pathfinders and Bridgebuilders teams are barely recognizable (if at all) than to defections to BHS.  Mr. Group, Mr. and Mrs. Nartker have all moved up to BHS.  The administration has now completely changed with the departure of Ms. Taiclet to Oakwood.

Finally BHS, with a school as large as it is teacher turnover is pretty high.  All my math teachers are still there, but the science department has been dramatically change since I was there (except for stalwarts Mrs. DeBrosse and Mrs. Volmer).  The English staff has almost been completely reshaped with the retirements of Mrs. Herman, Mr. Geer, Mrs. Gates, Mr. Cobey, Mr. Johnson, and Mrs. Gardetto (wow...all since I was in 12th grade).  There are still a lot of familar faces at BHS and I'm sure if I visited I would find that really not much has changed.

It's hard to imagine the school district without some of the great teachers that I had back in the day, but I'm sure the new members of the school district are going to be just as talented as my wonderful teachers one day. Maybe they are already.