Two established teachers at Louisburg High announced their retirement. Sandi Roark, who has been teaching for 13 years, 11 of which have been at LHS, currently teaches Entrepreneurship, Marketing, Accounting I and II, Personal Finance, and Career and Life Planning at LHS. Gary Griffin, who has been with LHS for 32 years, teaches Biology and AP Biology and also coaches football and track for the high school and basketball for the middle school.
While both are retiring, each will pursue a different path for life beyond the Louisburg district employment.
Roark plans to work with senators and congressmen in Kansas to pass the Safe Child Act. The law would help keep judges from sending children to live or continue living with an abuser. It is a problem she feels very strongly about and is very excited to work on.
“My husband and I plan on going to Niagra Falls in September. I have always wanted to go and now we will have the time to make the trip when the leaves are changing and it should be beautiful that time of the year,” said Roark.
Just like Roark, Griffin has mixed emotions about leaving and moving on to the next chapter of his life. He plans to spend more time with his family and travel more.
Brooke Talmage
Griffin sits at his desk preparing to teach one of his Biology classes.
“I am excited about taking some time off, especially in the summer, and seeing what else is out there,” said Griffin. “I have been in Louisburg for 32 years and created a lot of lasting relationships and I will miss that. I will also miss the connections with the coaches that I have been associated with.”
Though both are excited to move on to the next part of their lives, both they and students expressed sadness about their leaving.
After so many years with Louisburg and its students, Roark often worries about leaving. “I will miss my kids! I love my students so much. I sometimes think, ‘What am I going to do without them?’. I hope to be able to keep in touch with a lot of them,” she said.
Brooke Talmage
Roark helps Career and Life Planning student Kelsey Cutshaw with a project.
The students also will feel the impact.
“Mrs. Roark impacted my life by always making sure that I completely understood the materials that she was teaching me, and if I didn’t then she would take the time to fully explain it to me to make sure I got it. Not only has she impacted my life in terms of education, but she always makes sure that me and my peers are doing okay emotionally. Mrs. Roark is a teacher that I know I can always count on,” said senior McKenzie VanMeerhaeghe.
Students of Mr. Griffin expressed similar emotions about his impact on them.
“I am sad [Griff] is leaving. He’s really made an impact on my learning by making me have my work in on time and not letting me slack off,” said junior, Megan Anderson.
Both students and staff are going to miss them. The two teachers have left an impact on many throughout the years enriching our lives.
