The announcement of Biology teacher Bill Pence’s retirement surprised both teachers and students alike.
But Pence’s 34th and final year at Cal carried no signs of ending a career.
Even in his last days as a teacher, Pence was organizing whale watching trips and rushing off to meet former students, just as he has done for decades.
Parents and students alike have questioned why Pence, the California Teacher of the Year in 1999, has suddenly decided to leave a job which he loves and has been passionate about during his 37 years as an educator.
“I always promised myself that I would leave this job when I still loved it and when I was still good at it,” Pence explained.
He said he felt he should leave Cal High after 34 years as a Grizzly before he took it for granted. In all these years, Pence said he hasn’t underappreciated his career.
“The students have helped me get through my losses and I’ve done the same thing.” said Pence. “I’ve gone to funerals of students, to a funeral of someone whose father suddenly died. It’s the ups and downs, or the vicissitudes of life.”
His outlook on teaching is that a community has to be involved in the education of an individual. He believes that when everyone is involved, that spirit can instill a lifelong joy of learning.
Pence has been more than involved at Cal High and in the community.
As an advisor for the Earth Club, he and his students organized clean-up days in San Ramon, planted tree seedlings in the Oakland Firestorm area, and has used his experience in biology in many other ways to give back to the community.
He has also used his own personal experiences to educate others. After his niece was murdered in 1994 due to an abusive relationship, Pence gave over 36 presentations to teens and adults in the Bay Area concerning abusive relationships.
“It’s all about community,” said Pence. “Community has to be involved in educating children.”
His feelings of togetherness have extended to how he views life at Cal as well.
When he first got to Cal in 1976, he said that the student body was smaller and the size contributed to its appeal to him.
“We were a smaller student body, and whole student body would be at the pep rallies! The whole student body! Can you imagine the school spirit?” he said with a smile.
His colleagues and students know him for his school spirit and acknowledge it as something that defines his character.
“He’s very spirited,” was the first thing that Julie Bitnoff, a biology teacher at Cal, said about Pence.
“It’s been amazing,” Bitnoff said. “It’s been the most rewarding, educational, and fun relationship I’ve ever had.”
Bitnoff, who has been working with Pence for 24 years, added that Pence embodied Cal’s science program and gave a lot to the department, including an ROP experimental biology program, marine biology curriculum, as well as previously teaching AP biology.
“I think it will be a big void,” said Bitnoff referring to next year without Pence. “We were lucky to have him.”
Doug Mason, a former student of Pence’s and now a colleague and friend, agreed with Bitnoff, adding that Pence’s energy inspired him to work harder.
“It’s been energizing, because Pence is a type-A personality, and he is always go-go-go!” said Mason. “It’s made me do more, and vamp up my teaching.”
Sophomore Jolie Wong, a former student of Pence’s, believes that having Pence as a Biology teacher helped her fall in love with the subject and compelled her to pursue biology throughout high school and beyond.
“In middle school, I always hated all types of sciences,” said Jolie. “Mr. Pence made everyone feel like there was so much more to biology class than getting a good grade and completing a graduation requirement.”