Mrs. Christensen has filled SVHS with happiness, love, and learning for 21 years, but the end of this school school will be her last. She has decided to retire and move on to a new chapter of her life.
What was your overall experience like teaching at SVHS and how did it shape you as a teacher?
“My experience at SVHS has been wonderful! I’ve always enjoyed working with teenagers, but the staff and students here are exceptional. I have been very blessed to have been able to enjoy going to work for twenty-one years with the great students and staff here. SVHS made me realize that making a difference in a young person’s life is very important.”
How have both SVHS and your approach to teaching evolved over the years?
“My teaching has evolved to me being more patient, deciding what is most important, and speaking kind words always. I do not react in anger or frustration or argue anymore. It is actually very freeing. SVHS has evolved also. I feel that the students used to be more interactive. I fear for the influence phones and technology has on students. When I walk down the hall and see many students looking at their phones instead of talking to a real person, it makes me sad and worried for the future of young people.”
What will you miss the most about being part of the SVHS community?
“I will miss my co-workers and the students the most. I will not miss the paperwork or testing. I love the atmosphere of learning here. This community of staff and students strives to do their best.”
What are you most excited about as you head into retirement?
“I am most excited about living closer to my family and spending time with them. We are also expecting our first grandchild in September. It will be nice to have the time to do what I want such as reading, gardening, and riding my bike.”
Looking back, what’s one memory from your teaching career that stands out above the rest?
“Two memories come to mind. In the year 2012-2013, our school won the award as a Blue Ribbon High School in Wyoming. This was a great honor for our school, and we had a big assembly to celebrate that event. One other memory was when a student drove his motorcycle inside from one end of the school to the front doors. That is a memory I still laugh about. I was standing in the hall thinking, “Is that a motorcycle in the school?” He then went flying past me going very fast before he got caught.”
If you had a chance to restart your career, would you choose to be a teacher, or is there another path you’d explore?
“If I had a chance to restart my career, I would still choose to be a teacher. I became a teacher later in life after having other careers in retail sales and youth counseling. I am glad I came to the high school as an aide, and now twenty-one years later, I am leaving as a happy teacher.”
We are grateful for the 21 years Mrs. Christensen dedicated to SVHS. Her warmth, wisdom, and heart made a lasting impact on everyone around her. As she steps into retirement, we wish her joy, relaxation, and all the time in the world with the people she loves.
