At the end of this school year, Barlow will be losing various beloved staff members from many different departments. These teachers will always have an impact on Sam Barlow High School, whether they return to sub or leave it behind for greater opportunities. As a whole, every one of these departing staff members will be missed by students and fellow coworkers.
The only retiree is Rich Kirstein, who has been teaching for 25 years. Kirstein teaches World Studies, AP Human Geography, and Psychology. Kirstein really enjoys teaching these classes, especially Psychology and AP Human Geography. “Psychology was great because it touched students in personal ways in their lives and gave them insights into how we fit into the world,” explained Kirstein. “I got to teach students that are way smarter than I am in AP Human Geography, and watch them go on to great college and career experiences, feeling that maybe I was able to play a positive role in their successful outcomes.” Kirstein has many favorite memories as a teacher, including educational travel around the world, taking students to Mt. Hood for the Dead Salmon Toss, and coaching volleyball and track and field. Overall, Kirstein has found that his most enjoyable teaching experience at Barlow is the connections he has made with students. “Many things have been great, but the best is the connections I have made with so many students through the years. It’s not that they were always outstanding academically, but they were willing to be open to share their lives with me,” Kirstein says. Kirstein’s retirement plans include a long trip to Europe next fall to visit Spain, Portugal, Greece, and Switzerland.
Liz Bernal will be leaving Barlow next year. Bernal has been teaching for three years as the American Sign Language (ASL) teacher. Bernal enjoyed her time at Barlow, citing her favorite parts as the ability to have fun and be creative as a teacher. “I loved coming up with fun activities, finding random silly pictures for vocab practice, drawing art for my room, and playing games with the class, although being a referee can be stressful,” Bernal says. Another thing Bernal enjoyed during her time at Barlow was the memories she made. “My favorite memories are when students make me laugh, which happens pretty much every day! For example, recently, a tardy detention slip was delivered to my room. I handed it to the student and started to walk away when I heard a weird noise, so I turned back to look—he had put the entire pass in his mouth! He froze, then slowly began chewing it. Another example is how a whole class got really into the sign ‘Maine’ last year, and they would all sign it really excitedly and make me feel like I was in on an inside joke,” illustrates Bernal. Next year, Bernal is transitioning from teaching back to ASL interpreting full-time. Bernal explained, “I will be working in VRS, which is basically interpreting phone calls between deaf and hearing people anywhere in the country on any topic!”
Vice Principal Doyle Huelsman will be leaving next year after four years at Barlow. He has enjoyed his time at Barlow, especially the students. “I love it how so many students revel in being 100% themselves.” Huelsman really appreciates how welcoming the Barlow staff was from the beginning. “When I first started as an assistant principal here, I was worried that I would feel like an outsider for any or all of my time here. People showed me how wrong I was about that on day one!” After leaving Barlow, Huelsman will be the building principal at an alternative high school. Huelsman describes that he will miss Barlow but is excited to connect with students at his new school. He explained, “It’s hard to leave a school community like this—it’s such an amazing place with a really inspiring school culture, but I’m looking forward to being able to develop connections with all the students I serve. Right now, I’m the assistant principal for about 500 students. At my new school, I’ll be working with only about 175. That gives me a lot more time to get to know each of them.”
Math teacher Scott Carey will be leaving Barlow after one year. Carey appreciated his time at Barlow, saying, “Working with the staff here has been amazing.” Carey’s favorite memory at Barlow has been building golf ladder sets with his Math for the Trades class. After leaving Barlow, Carey and his family will be traveling to Papua New Guinea. “Our family is traveling to Papua New Guinea in July, where I’ll be teaching math at an international school.”
English teacher Liz Scharmann is leaving Barlow next year. Scharmann loved how welcoming the Barlow community was when she came back this year, even though she thought she wouldn’t be able to come back. “It was so amazing to see the surprise and excitement, and it warmed my heart so much!” Scharmann has enjoyed her time at Barlow, saying, “I’ve enjoyed working with awesome students and teachers. I’ve learned so many new things, and after teaching in middle schools for so many years, it has been a great change of pace.” She also appreciates that most of her students strive to succeed and do well, and convey respect and kindness. Overall, Scharmann has seen how special the Barlow community is during her time here. “There is a sense of kindness among students and staff—people genuinely care for others,” she explained. Among these teachers is Ms. Adina, with whom Scharmann has become closest while at Barlow. “Ms. Adina has become my bestie, and I’ve loved getting to know her! She’s an incredible colleague and person. Also, the teachers in the English department have been awesome to work and connect with this year. Everyone on this team is so supportive and honestly hilarious. I’ll miss them a ton.” This summer, Scharmann is looking forward to moving into her new house, resting, reading, and having more time to write.
Scott Jones, an AVID 10 and Learning Lab teacher, is leaving Barlow after this year. “I have truly enjoyed the people I work with and the students,” Jones says. “Lots of people say that their colleagues are like a family, but the staff at Barlow truly are. I value, and feel valued, by those I work with. The students have been the best, and many have made a huge impact on me as a teacher and coach. Many think of teaching as a one-way relationship, but students teach us a lot along the way as well.” Throughout his time at Barlow, Jones has taught several different subjects, including math, science, and AVID. “My favorite memory over the last 4 years is the support I received as I was asked to teach subjects I had never taught before,” explains Jones. “Shout out to Marianna Toptchian, Tai Quirke, and the science crew who made my life so much easier than I ever thought it would be. The 400 hall science teachers were my saviors! Shout out to Eric Stauffer, Amanda Holliday, and the math crew, who supported me with anything and everything I needed, from explaining things I wasn’t clear on and the endless mid-class questions, to always checking in on me.” Jones has appreciated the school community during his time at Barlow, saying that it is special, especially the love the teachers and staff have for their colleagues and students. Among these teachers, Jones cited two who had the most impact on his time at Barlow. “I would like to take this moment to thank Anita Lamourex and Tracey Spencer. You ladies, are something special. The way you care about the students you teach and work with is something I see every day and try to emulate,” shares Jones. “Anita’s passion and joy for her business students, student store operation, and DECA is something to behold. Every time you ask her about her kids, she beams. You can tell how much she loves helping current and former students succeed,” he explained. “Tracey joined the cross country coaching staff as a volunteer coach a few years ago, and her impact has been huge! The kids love her calm, yet determined demeanor. She made me a better coach and person, and I’m forever grateful for her.” This summer, Jones looks forward to reading, running Hood to Coast for the first time in 20 years, spending time with family, and taking a road trip to Vancouver, British Columbia.
AP Calculus teacher Catherine Ordway is leaving after one year at Barlow. Ordway had lots of fun teaching AP Calculus and enjoyed her students. Some of her favorite memories are “getting to know my students—shout-out to my 1st lunch crew—and enjoying some light shenanigans, like ‘gullible’ taped to the ceiling.” Ordway has seen how special the Barlow community is and how much support there is for students during her time here. Also, she has learned a lot from her fellow teachers, describing, “My 9th-grade team—Mrs. Rethwill, Mr. Moffat, and Mr. Nelson—have been fantastic to work with, and I learned a lot from them!” Some advice Ordway has for her students is “don’t let the work pile up & ask for help when you need it.” This summer, Ordway mainly looks forward to one thing: “Sleeping in!”
Whether they have been here for one year or 25, each and every teacher and staff member leaving will be missed. We appreciate their service to Barlow and wish them the best in their future endeavors.
