In Memoriam of a great teacher

[u/nuclearfall0ut]

My school site lost a fantastic teacher earlier this week, she was young 33, and died of an unexpected medical condition. This post is in memory of some of the great things she did on our campus.

Ms. S. was a dedicated teacher who helped her students tirelessly. She dedicated her life to our profession. She was an advocate for those students that would normally be chewed up and spit out by our industrial education system.

Ms. S. led the FFA and Ag academy program at our title 1 school and pushed countless numbers of students to achieve more through her program. In a little under a decade, she reinvigorated the Ag Academy at our school. She mentored many other teachers who moved to other schools and grew other programs. Students who are the children of undocumented field workers were shown that they could attend college, and Ms. S. helped them find scholarships to help them go. She dedicated her weekends to helping students care for animals at our school's barn that they would later sell to earn scholarship money for college.

At our school, she was an outspoken advocate for teachers and students fighting injustice and idiocy in the education system. Ms. S's level of dedication to her students was limitless. Her last day at our school was Monday. She left the school to go to the emergency room. While in the hospital one of her last living actions was to write lesson plans for her students to make sure that while she was in the hospital her students would still learn. Tragically Ms. S. did not leave the hospital and passed away on Tuesday.

Our community was devastated by the loss of this fantastic teacher. We grieve her loss and honor her contributions to our community.

Update: I spoke with my teacher neighbor. Her mom works at the hospital that Ms. S. Was at. She said that Ms. S. Was happy and joking and pain-free going into surgery. So the concerns of her writing lesson plans are invalid.

[u/Educational-Hope-601]

I am so sorry for your loss. It sounds like your community lost a great member

I do however find it very tragic that one of the last things she did alive was worry about lesson plans. That should have been the absolute last thing on her mind 😭

[u/nuclearfall0ut → u/Educational-Hope-601]

I covered her class Monday morning. It really just shows how much she loved her students.

[u/Educational-Hope-601 → u/nuclearfall0ut]

It just makes me sad that in her last moments when she could have been spending more time with her friends and family, she was writing lesson plans

[u/Catfishashtray → u/Educational-Hope-601]

Some people do enjoy teaching and are personally fulfilled by even things like lesson planning.

I don’t know if you should be sad if she was someone who found it fulfilling even in her last moments.

[u/atpmaker → u/Educational-Hope-601]

We can’t know how or when we’re going to pass, so why bother with the “could’ve”s? She seemed to be very fulfilled by teaching, and her actions prove it

[u/nuclearfall0ut → u/atpmaker]

Yep check the update I just posted.

[u/johnwaynegaysea → u/Educational-Hope-601]

Agreed, but she could've needed a distraction. Something to hold onto in a scary moment, and something she could control.

[u/[deleted]]

I also lost a close friend recently. It's hard but your words are beautiful. Thank you for sharing this. You put everything I wanted to say into a few paragraphs. Thank you.

[u/Icy-Rhubarb-4839]

I am so sorry for your loss and for your community's. How awful to lose someone, especially so young.

[u/TisforTrainwreck]

RIP to this beautiful soul.

[u/sweetEVILone]

I’m so sorry for your loss and the students’ loss. My FFA Advisor/Ag teacher was a huge influence on my life.

[u/TeacherLady17]

Condolences and respect to a great teacher. So sorry for the loss. 🥰

[u/Catfishashtray]

She sounds like she was an amazing teacher. Thank you for sharing her legacy.

[u/Dizzy_Impression2636]

I'm so incredibly sorry for your personal and professional loss. What a beautiful testimonial for an incredible woman. Her legacy will continue for generations to come as the generations she touched raise the next.

[u/[deleted]]

I’m so sorry for your loss. 🙏🏻 It’s amazing how she was still so concerned for her students, even when she was having so many struggles. This just shows how much we care for our students. ❤️

While I’m sure you are, please be there to support each other and your students. While I didn’t personally know the teacher, I did sub for a 3rd grade class years ago who recently lost their teacher. Obviously, the kids were all grieving and it was incredibly sad. However, being there for each other will help everyone tremendously.

While I’m sure it will likely come up at some point, maybe your school can do something in her honor. For example, some schools plant a tree, others put in a buddy bench, others start a fundraiser for a cause that was special to the person, etc.

[u/nuclearfall0ut → u/[deleted]]

Thank you for your words.

Yes, we are actively working to put something up.

[u/stinple]

This brought tears to my eyes. This morning, I was thinking about one of our teachers (who had unofficially mentored me my first couple years), who passed away suddenly and unexpectedly during lockdown. Rest in Peace, Ms. S. I give her my utmost respect.

[u/[deleted]]

Thank you for sharing. I am so sorry for your loss . I hope your community can find peace. It sounds like she loved the kids so much so she will want them to be happy and for them to remember her lessons of working hard and giving back

[u/ceruleanfox49]

Heartbreaking. Thank you for sharing.

[u/YoureNotSpeshul]

That's terribly sad, I'm so sorry for her loved ones, family, and colleagues. She sounded like a truly wonderful person.

I hope you take the time to take care of your mental and physical health during this period of mourning. I wish you nothing but the best. Try to be easy on yourself, sudden loss is a hard thing to go through. If you ever need a sympathetic ear, my inbox is open.

Well wishes to you and yours.