Several teachers retired from Catasauqua Area School District this past academic year, including two teachers from Sheckler Elementary School and two from Catasauqua Middle School.

Sheckler Elementary teacher Christine Snyder was born and raised in center city Allentown. She graduated from Allentown Central Catholic High School in 1976.

She graduated from Lehigh County Community College in 1978 and earned a degree in elementary education and special education from Kutztown University in 1980. She then went on to earn a master’s degree in special education from Lehigh University in 1983.

Her first teaching job was at Lehigh University’s Centennial School, from 1981 to 1983, where she taught all academics at the high school level. She then taught special education at Phillipsburg High School in New Jersey from 1983 to 1993.

In addition to teaching, she was a varsity boys basketball cheering coach, band front director and Student Council adviser.

“The biggest and most important moment at Phillipsburg was that I met my husband, Eric, there,” she said.

Eric Snyder also retired from CASD this past academic year. He taught at Catasauqua High School.

After staying home for seven years to raise their sons, Andrew and James, Snyder was asked by former Sheckler Principal Michael Misko to apply as a substitute teacher in the district.

“I was substitute/classroom aide for one year,” Snyder said. “I was with Mrs. Rich in first grade. I loved it!”

She was then hired as a special-education teacher at Sheckler in 2001, a role she held until 2013. At that time, she switched roles and started teaching third grade.

She noted her children were students at Sheckler during the early days of her tenure there.

“It was not easy to be a mom and a teacher at their school at the same time,” she noted but mentioned how much she enjoyed watching all the sports and activities her sons were involved in while in school.

“With Catasauqua being such a small district, students have so many opportunities to become involved,” she said.

She also noted the important roles the CASD teachers played in her sons’ lives. Both Andrew and James have become teachers as well. James works at CMS, and Andrew is at Northampton Area Middle School.

“I believe this is the finest moment for any teacher, when they can influence a student to become successful in their own life,” she reflected.

When thinking about her time in the district, Snyder noted she will miss the uniqueness of the students and getting to know their individual personalities. She also said she will greatly miss the team of teachers who helped her throughout the years, “as well as the laughter, the tears, the frustrations and certainly the successes we all shared.”

She reported her retirement plans with husband Eric are still in the making.

“We have many places we want to go, things we want to do and, of course, waiting for our family to expand,” she said. “Only time will tell what we do.”

Her final thoughts went back to her students.

“My wish is for the students in our district to take advantage of every opportunity presented to them by this wonderful district,” she said. “Believe in yourself and always do the right thing.”

CMS teacher Lisa Roth graduated from Whitehall High School and Drexel University, respectively.

She went on to receive a teaching certificate from Kutztown University and earn a master’s degree from Wilkes University.

Roth has taught in CASD for 33 years. She primarily taught social studies and ancient history to seventh-grade students.

She noted teaching in the district has changed over the years.

“We now have a much more diverse student population, which makes teaching even more exciting,” Roth said.

She mentioned how much she learned over the years from the incredible people she worked with, including Joseph Galm, Elizabeth Bell, MaryAnne Costello-Crampsie, Judith Evan, Jennifer Greig and Deborah Elek.

“I will miss working with people like them,” she reflected. “They were inspirational.”

Roth’s favorite memory was when she taught the Turquoise Team.

“These students also taught me so much about how to teach and how to work with students,” she said. “I will never forget them.”

In her retirement, Roth plans to travel to visit her grandchildren, who are in Perth, Australia, and Corpus Christi, Texas.

Her final thoughts were fond recollections of working in the district.

“CASD was a wonderful place to have a career,” she said. “It was small enough to be able to get to know both colleagues and students.”

Sheckler teacher Michele Bolza and CMS teacher Jeffrey Jacksits, who also retired, did not respond to a request for an interview.