As the school year comes to a close, North Creek High School will say goodbye to staff members Rhonda McGee and Dawn Mark as they retire from decades long teaching careers.
After 44 years of teaching, Ms. McGee retires to care for her elderly mother. She states, “Teaching is always about the students. I love working with kids.” Her favorite memories are having former students return and relate how her class benefited them. After she retires, she and her husband will spend winters abroad and substitute part-time at North Creek. Ms. McGee will have more time with her grandchildren and enjoy a love of travel. “My husband and I have every winter from January to March determined that we‘re going to go discover another section of the world,” she said, speaking of trips to Spain, Thailand, and Australia.
Ms. Mark is retiring after 30 years of teaching, along with her husband. She has no idea what life will be like without teaching but said she will miss the students the most. It puts a smile on my face when I walk into the classroom,” she said. Ms. Mark encourages beginning teachers to “always put your students first and take risks in your instruction.” Her retirement announcement this time comes as her husband, also a teacher, is retiring. Ms. Mark has shared that she does not know what lies beyond the classroom and mentioned the bittersweet feeling that she will be experiencing come September school begins without her. “I think the hardest thing will be when everyone goes back to school. I’m so used to going back.”
Senior, Taylor Nacke, reflected on how Ms. Mark supported her final project on mental health, highlighting the teacher’s kindness and understanding during her absences. “My favorite memory is her helping me with my final project,” Pradhan said. “She created a calm and caring environment and often gave me extensions when I needed them, which really made a difference for me. I’ll always remember how thoughtful she was. Her positivity was a constant in our classroom, no matter what was happening outside of it.”
Sophomore, Deetya Pradhan, shared her thoughts about Ms. McGee, describing her as “sweet” and praising her effectiveness as an educator. “Ms. McGee is one of the best teachers,” Pradhan said. “She prepared us incredibly well for the AP exam, which is different from other classes. The way she teaches is really engaging, and I appreciated the donuts she brought after every quarter—those little things made her class special.”
These reflections highlight the positive impact both Ms. Mark and Ms. McGee have had on their students, showcasing their dedication and the supportive environments they fostered in their classrooms.
