The Current
Staff retirements create bittersweet ending to yearTuesday, May 15, 2012 By PHIL FEELEMYER
Many teachers are retiring this year, including math teacher Nina Motyka who has worked at Watkins Mill High School for 17 years, and engineering teacher Dan Jayjock who has been at WMHS since the school opened. Foreign language teacher Sue Dalmasso is also leaving this year. “I am going to miss all the people, all the kids,” Dalmasso said. “I am going to enjoy life; it’s time to change my focus, put more time into friends and family other than these ones.” Principal Scott Murphy’s secretary Ann Moldenhauer said she is going to miss the students and the business. She plans on helping her daughter with her grandchildren and intends to do some part time work after she retires this year. She added, “It’s a long time I have been working, and it’s time to do something for me.” Jayjock has been working at WMHS since it opened 22 years ago. He said that he “just likes the interaction with kids,” and has, “learned a lot [about himself] as far as loving a job.” He said when he leaves there is going to be a void, because he has gotten up at 5 am for his whole life. He recently got married, and is looking forward to enjoying that. He is selling his house in Olney, Maryland to move to Louis, Delaware. “I have a beautiful home there. I am going to miss it. I love Olney.” He added, “After 42 years of teaching, it’s time to move on. It’s time to go.” Motyka said, “I learned that kids are kids no matter what their background is, no matter whether they’re poor, whether they’re rich, whether they can hardly speak English; that they are kids and that we just have to go with the flow with them.” She plans to teach calculus at Montgomery College and teach AP Calculus to home-schooled children. She also plans to learn to play golf. Motyka added, “I will also substitute from time to time here. Just to see what’s going on.” Special Programs teacher Joseph Bellino is also retiring this year. He said, “I’m going to miss watching my College Test Prep students do well on their SAT and ACT exams.” He hopes to get a job creating a data system for another high school as he did here at WMHS. ESOL teacher Monica Cimino will also be retiring this year. She said she will miss “learning all that my students teach me. Being part of the ESOL Department has given me the special opportunity to learn from students who hail from around the world.” Cimino said her plans after retirement are to travel the world. She said it “it is time for the next adventure” and “other experiences are crying out to be lived.” |