Header: Germantown Academy will be saying farewell to the wonderful teachers, Ms. Carver, Ms. Ledwith, Ms. Marquez, and Ms. Test. We wish them a happy retirement as they proceed to the next step of their lives.
Germantown Academy will be saying farewell to a few Upper School teachers this year, as they conclude their journey of teaching and move into retirement and other future plans. These teachers include Ms. Ruth Carver, Ms. Lisa Ledwith, Ms. Yvette Marquez and Ms. Linda Test. Each of them has worked incredibly hard during their time at GA, impacting many students’ lives and leaving a lasting mark on the community. Though they will not be teaching next school year, their influence will remain with the Upper School as they take on the next steps of their journey.
For Carver, retirement is a flame that will continue to shine brighter even after teaching math for twenty-six years. Reflecting on her time, she says that she loved the energy at GA, a place where “there is always something interesting happening and I have always marveled at how creative, kind, and intelligent our students are. They give me hope for the future.” She spoke about students in her classroom sometimes struggling with a new concept, and when it finally clicked, “watching that ‘lightbulb’ moment and the subsequent joy and confidence that results never gets old for [her].” Though her plans for next year are to initially vacation in Cape May for some time, Carver will also soon start to work on the second edition of the statistics textbook she previously co-authored, titled “Introduction to Statistical Investigations AP Edition”. One of the authors working with her was a recipient of a National Science Foundation grant to improve how statistics is taught on the high school and undergraduate level. Eventually, Carver will travel around the country conducting workshops for teachers on the best practices in teaching statistics to students.
Test expressed passion for her years of teaching at GA. She reflects on classroom traditions and the progress that her students continue to make from the beginning of the year to the end. As a French teacher, some of her favorite memories included having a “Bûche de Noël (yule log cake) competition in French 4 Accelerated, going to the Barnes Foundation and Parc for lunch with my AP classes every year, and visiting France with students, where in Normandy, they placed American flags on the graves of the soldiers who are buried at the American Cemetery in Normandy.” Memories like these, along with her love for teaching, will continue to stick with her as she moves onto the next chapter in her life. She says that one thing she loved about GA was working with students to improve their French even if they were scared. She said that “the more they practice, the better they get.” Next year, she plans on being with her family, visiting her two grandchildren and youngest daughter. She hopes to relax, read, garden, and take time to do the things she loves after her teaching career comes to an end.
Marquez noted that perhaps her favorite memory was giving both of her children their diplomas at graduation. An avid leader of CSO, she brainstormed and planned each event and fundraiser to help GA follow the principles of the Civility Pledge. Post-retirement, Marquez plans on continuing her volunteer work within the community. For Ledwith, the laughter that emulates throughout the classroom will be something that she misses, and plans on, “treating next year as sabbatical.”
Each retiree has dedicated a significant amount of their time to serving our community and shaping GA into the school it is today. Ledwith, Test, and Carver have all been teaching at GA for the past twenty-five years; and Marquez has been with us for ten years now.
Dr. Molly MacKean, head of Upper School, reflecting upon the impact of each retiree, said, “When I think of what makes GA really special, it is the fact that it truly is the kind of place where people come and stay.” These four teachers have accomplished great things throughout their time at GA and have overcome many obstacles within their teaching careers, especially considering the past two years of the pandemic. MacKean added, “There are so many significant accomplishments of our retirees; the depth of their impacts on the GA community is difficult to imagine.”
MacKean has truly gotten to know these four teachers throughout the duration of this year and recollected some of her favorite memories with each retiree. When reflecting on a memory with Ledwith, Mackean exclaimed, “We went on a senior trip to Six Flags, and I just could not keep up with her for the duration of the trip. She was eager to go on every ride and her energy was so radiant upon every student there.”
Every one of these four teachers has experienced impactful and memorable moments at GA; whether it be with a student or another faculty member, each experience contributed significantly to their teaching careers. The students and faculty of GA will remain delighted that they were able to experience the pleasure of knowing Ms. Ledwith, Ms. Test, Ms. Marquez, and Ms. Carver. MacKean concluded, “I love to watch the way that each of these teachers interacts with their students; it comes from a place of such deep care for kids.”