As our first third of the year comes to an end, there has been talk of some of our beloved teachers that will be retiring at the end of the trimester. Mrs. West and Mrs. Strobel, history and english teachers, respectively, will be closing their teaching careers come the beginning of second trimester. These teachers have spent significant time at Spring Lake, and are highly valued educators within our system. Mrs. West has been at Spring Lake for eleven years, but it is her twenty-sixth year of teaching. Mrs. Strobel has taught full-time at Spring Lake for the past nine years. 

When Strobel and West were asked why they decided it was time to retire, Strobel stated that, “I think I have the best reason ever…spending more time with my new grandson, Charles!” West responded that, “I decided it was time for a change.” 

After teaching at a school for such a long time, I opted to ask these teachers exactly what kind of impact Spring Lake High School has had on them. Strobel responded with: “  Teaching at SLHS has been extremely rewarding to me because the community supports education, and the students appreciate the efforts of their teachers, coaches, and administrators.” When asked the same question, West offered that, “I have loved working and living in Spring Lake.  Both of my children graduated from Spring Lake and I’ve loved being involved with the band and the athletic programs. I’m also very thankful for all of the opportunities I’ve had to work with students as the advisor for the National Honor Society.” 

Finally, I’m sure the question arises of, “What will these teachers be doing once they retire?” I asked these teachers what their plans were for retirement, and West responded that, “I’m excited to visit family and travel more.  I’m also looking forward to spending more time with my pets and doing simple things like reading books and projects around the house.  I might also consider working in another field, but not right away.” Strobel states that, “Besides being more active in my grandson’s daily life and activities, my husband, Steve, and I plan to become more active in community volunteering, hopefully mentoring teens and helping families in need.  I would love to also get a part-time job at a library or maybe work as a teacher assistant/office staff at a local school.”

Overall, these teachers have done invaluable work for not only Spring Lake High School, but for the community as well. Make sure to congratulate them on their retirement, and wish them the best for their future!