AHS is losing a combined total of over 271 years of education experience, as nine teachers retire this year.

Anita Jenkins, Denise Collado, Betsy Bloom, Chris Love, Jane Dawson, Linda Haddock, Judith Davis, Susan Oliveri, and Richard Wharam are all leaving AHS, and will be missed.

Anita Jenkins, math teacher and former basketball coach, has spent 31 years at AHS.

“I will miss the laughter and the stories of all the things I’ve heard students say and seen students do over the years,” Jenkins said.

Jenkins’ students will miss her. “I love how she gives everyone the opportunity to ask her for help at the end of class, and how she puts so much effort into helping her students understand the material,” senior Austen Weathersby said.

Jenkins has many ideas for the future years to come. “I hope to do some tutoring so that I can continue to work with students,” Jenkins said.

She also wants to, “spend more time visiting my daughter, take care of my mother, and continue to do presentations about Nolan’s story to other high schools. Oh, and I hope to get my golf game back- maybe a handicap under 10!”

Spanish teacher Denise Collado, commonly known as Profe, is also retiring. Collado has been teaching for 39 years- eight of them at AHS.

“The last eight years have been wonderful, challenging, exciting, and gave me an opportunity to work with some of the most wonderful people!” Collado said.
Collado has many memories to take away from AHS. “I have helped nine people to become teachers as their mentors during student teaching.  I have had so many memorable students over these years, some of whom I am still in contact with 20 years after they graduated,” Collado said.

“She’s really energetic and motivated,” senior Meghana Illendula said. “She lets us do a lot of fun projects, and it’s been great working with her,” senior Jacob Lescault added.

Collado has already started making plans for her future. She would like to, “have some time to spend with my mom who is 91 but suffering from cancer.  I will work with my husband on his business, and will continue to develop my own business, writing curriculum and selling lesson units for other language teachers.” Collado said.

Collado will miss, “seeing the light bulbs of understanding go off,” and “sharing time with my colleagues here.”
Richard Wharam of the driver’s education has worked at AHS for 26 years.

In the future, Wharam will “be involved in the church, doing something like running an afterschool program to help the community. There are many needy families out there,” Wharam said.

Wharam, has enjoyed “every time I [saw] a former student out in public and [said] hello,” and seeing the precious faces of students enjoying learning experiences.”

Susan Oliveri has been the photography teacher at AHS for six years.

Once she retires, Oliveri is planning on “continuing photography, spending time with grandkids, and participating in outdoors activities like sailing.” She is also planning on taking a trip to Italy.

One of Oliveri’s favorite moments was, “being in the dark room, having kids discover the success of their prints.”

AHS has taught Oliveri to “raise expectations of the capabilities and energy of high school students,” Oliveri said.

School psychologist Dr. Chris Love has spent all 25 of his education years at AHS.

Love has many adventurous plans ahead. “I am both lucky and ready for more skiing, climbing in the Canadian Rockies/Pacific Northwest and thoroughly enjoying my three granddaughters- with a fourth hopefully in November,” Love said.

Love has had “so many wonderful moments- from working with masterful teachers, to training Peer Counselors on overnight retreats (we actually “worked” until 3 AM), to “Making Rain” on SCA Leadership Retreats, to knowing that every hour, every day at AHS was wonderfully different.”

Love will miss, “watching so many-wide eyed 9th graders  grow into confident young men and women after realizing, working on, their personal strengths and interest over their four challenging years!”

Librarian Betsy Bloom has been a librarian for 37 years; the past twelve years at AHS, along with more mobile libraries – on board a ship and on a bookmobile.

Bloom will miss, “my colleagues and the stimulation of working with students. It gives me great pleasure to connect young people with the information they need and to empower them to be independent learners.”

Bloom has loved watching students get excited about a good read. Any day that involves working with 1800 young people and 200 staff and faculty is a learning experience.”