There have been and will be a number of retirements among the staff and teachers across the Northwestern Lehigh School District.

The following staff and teachers have retired or are retiring from the middle school at the end of this school year: Steven Fox, 30 years, Maureen Roman, 31 years, Liz Gates, 30 years, Dr. LouAnn Smacchi, 17 years, Matthew Fritz, 30 years and Collette Gaugler, 10 years.

In addition, Steven Weiss, former biology teacher at the high school, has worked in the district for over 30 years, starting when Northwestern Lehigh High School was a building for grades seven through 12. He retired mid-year.

Last year, two teachers retired, Patricia Greenawalt and Wendy Madouse, who had a combined teaching career of over 30 years.

The school district loses over 150 people years of experience.

Liz (Elisabeth) Gates, special education teacher, who has been working in the school district since 1989, remembers when the middle school was brand new.

“I feel as though I was a founding member of the middle school,” she said.

She and Fox were teaching together since the beginning.

Gates loves her role in supporting instruction.

“Even when I was young, I was always asked to help kids that needed extra attention,” she said. “I’ve known ever since I was in second grade that I was going to be a teacher.”

Gates said her favorite part of teaching is to see the results from her students.

“The growth and maturity, most of all the confidence students gain, it’s wonderful to witness,” Gates said.

Gates doesn’t believe support ends when the bell rings.

She has followed her students through middle school and beyond.

“I go to graduation parties, baby showers, weddings. I have students who have graduated that are still in contact with me,” she said.

In all her years of teaching, Gates says she’s never met a student who was beyond help or hope.

“They can shine in so many different ways,” she said. “Students can be successful at the top of their class or field – in other programs such as the ones offered at LCTI [Lehigh Career and Technical Institute]. Some of them come out with really good jobs lined up.”

Most of the school district’s new hires are in place for the 2022-2023 academic year.

Gates’ advice to the new teachers: “Always remember it’s about the kids. Whatever we do it should be for the good of the kids.”

For most teachers, retirement is a mixed blessing.

“My husband and I will finally have time to travel,” Gates said. “We’ll be able to pick and go, but I’ll miss the students and the staff. They are like my family.”