Retiring Teacher Shares Goodbye With West Morris Central Families
LONG VALLEY, NJ — A West Morris Central High School biology teacher will retire at the end of the school year, after more than three decades as part of the Long Valley community. Mr. Kevin Staine has also coached lacrosse and football, and also helped athletes with strength and conditioning training during his 33-year tenure at WMC. He was also able to celebrate West Morris Central's first-ever sectional championship with his son Connor, class of 2019 (below):Photo courtesy of Kevin Staine. In an open letter to the community, Staine reflected on his time at West Morris Central: The "tremendous educators" he worked with, the great memories in and out of the classroom and weight room, and how much time he has spent laughing during his daily interactions with students. "As I leave I really just want to say thank you, of course, to the kids (some of whom are 50 years old, and I am currently teaching their children) but also to the parents of our present students, and especially to the parents of those who I have taught and coached in the past," he wrote in part. Photo courtesy of Kevin Staine. Staine also shared some more photos from over the years, which are posted at the top of the article — and you can read his letter below, printed in full. An Open Letter to Long Valley and the families of WMCHS students:After 33 years of teaching and coaching at WMC I have reached the end of this chapter of my life. As I depart I hope you will indulge me as I say goodbye. I arrived at WMC in 1991. It was a bit different then. It was a greater farming community at the time and over the years things have definitely changed. Though, there have been certain constants throughout the years as well. The community has always been proud of its rural heritage. As a tremendous place to raise a family, it takes pride in the town’s education/schooling, and in their childrens’ extracurricular activities,…all kinds and at all levels. The uniting thread over all of these years and throughout the community is of course, the kids. Everyone is certainly unique and different in their own way, but over the decades the kids have shared many of the same qualities. They have been and still are, creative, respectful, smart, engaged, unique, athletic, involved, accepting, empathic and proud of where they come from. And wow, they are funny. I have laughed more in over three decades of teaching than anyone has the right to. Your sons and daughters never fail to make me not only laugh, but so often, literally, laugh out loud. Quite frankly, I’m sure what I will miss most once I leave is my daily interactions with them. Now I have worked with some tremendous educators over the years. Some real “rock stars” in the world of education, not only here at WMC, but for seven years with a non-profit in New York City and also at Raritan Valley Community College. They have been tremendous and many helped shape my growth over my career. I will miss my day-to-day time with them for sure. Overall though, I have spent more time with the kids (as most teachers and coaches do) and honestly, I know them better than 95% of my colleagues. It is with them that a huge part of my memories lie. Over the years we have done school trips to Disney, Virginia, NYC and Cape Cod together. We have ridden roller coasters together, have been to museums and zoos, have been whale-watching and have even gone skydiving together (not a school sanctioned adventure :)). We have celebrated academic and athletic scholarships, NHS acceptances, National Merit Scholarship achievements, won and celebrated athletic championships together, forged equity for our female student-athletes together, painted college acceptance logos on our classroom walls, celebrated medical school and law school admissions, and celebrated appointments and enlistments into all of the branches of our military as well. I have been to college sporting events of former students and to their graduations, gone on fishing and golfing trips with former students and players, and have been to bachelor parties, weddings, and baptisms of their children along the way too. You definitely do not get these types of shared experiences in combination with the young - old(er) generational dynamic in any other field of “work”. And I intentionally put work in quotes because teaching has been my official position but it’s never been a job. Throughout all of these years, I can honestly count on one hand the number of times I said “I don’t want to go to school today”. I truly believe there are few, if any, endeavors where one can make such a statement.I have been truly blessed to have spent my career here. As I leave I really just want to say thank you, of course, to the kids (some of whom are 50 years old, and I am currently teaching their children) but also to the parents of our present students, and especially to the parents of those who I have taught and coached in the past. You have raised children who have grown up to be successful, contributing, productive, happy members of the world. None ever aimed to be the big fish in a small pond. They always aimed high and as much as I truly believe they liked their high school experiences, they all knew there was a much bigger world out there. They have chased their dreams and have turned into business women and men, engineers, police officers, authors, doctors, educators, service men and women, entrepreneurs, musicians, nurses, media personalities, physical therapists, lawyers, and even several professional athletes. And that just scratches the tip of the iceberg. I am sure you are so very proud of them, as you should be. I am as well. If I played even a small role in their outcome, their successes,........I am truly happy and extremely humbled.I wish you all much success and happiness in the future. Stay well.Peace.Kevin StaineBiology Teacher; Football Coach; Lacrosse Coach; Strength and Conditioning Coach; WMC 1991-2024Printed with courtesy of the author.The article Retiring Teacher Shares Goodbye With West Morris Central Families appeared first on Long Valley, NJ Patch.
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