Teacher’s official last day is May 28, just one more day than students. Most of that day is finalizing grades. They spend a little bit of that day grading finals that they maybe didn’t get to the following day. After that, it’s off to the free time teachers deserve after nine months of teaching high school students. The next time teachers have to officially report back to school is August 11; until then, it’s officially summer.
During the summer, however, there are certain requirements as a teacher. “If needed, as a team we will meet as a district to see if DCAs need to be rewritten,” Lise Wagner, English teacher, said. Most of the time Wagner attempts to limit how often she has to come up and change plans, often doing anything she can from home.
Usually little to no changes are required based on previous years, but this year is different. With new classes, and having to add a whole nother class of students, more classes are needed to be taught in the coming school year. Wagner will sometimes have to do some extra work in order to be fully prepared. “I will personally meet with teachers who are new with classes just to make sure they are comfortable and understand the curriculum so we stay on the same page,” Wagner said.
As a coach and a teacher, Sam Stanley spends a lot of time at the school. Stanley teaches business classes and is the head football coach at Elkhorn North. “Having football lifting in the morning makes it pretty easy to just stay after and get some work done if needed,” Stanley said. What makes it even more of a convenience is the fact he lives very close to the school so it is easy to come up to the high school and work if needed. As a coach, there is a meeting he goes to with Ford just to make sure every coach is on the same page with rules and handbook forms before the season begins.
Mr. Onwiler, History teacher and a Cross Country assistant coach, is the same way as Stanley. “In the morning the cross country runners come stretch and go for a run together,” Onwiler said. Every once and awhile he will stop by his room if needed, otherwise it is Cross Country and free time.
Living out in Gretna with four kids, his summer is filled with sports and family time. Onwiler also plans on going on a couple of trips with his family to Colorado and Washington over the summer.
Wagner also spends lots of time taking her son to camps. “He has lots of ball and a few school camps he goes to,” Wagner said. She also said it is a lot of family time. They sit by the pool, go on vacations, and just relax at home too.
Teachers have little time off as they work nine months in a year. The three month summer break may involve a little bit of work and meetings, but besides that its enjoying time with family and even some coaching.
