The last bell on the 26th marks the start of summer break for students. But to four of our teachers and counselors, it marks the start of retirement. Each has been at South for more than 20 years, leaving behind a legacy and message for the South community.

Dr. Meenakshi Bhattacharya

It’s hard to imagine what biology at South would be like without Dr. Bhattacharya. Originally, she was more invested in research rather than teaching.

“When my kids started going to elementary school, the teachers asked for volunteers to do certain things,” said Dr. Bhattacharya. “I once volunteered for a science fair where I showed them scientific demonstrations. I realized that I really enjoyed that, so I decided to switch from research to teaching.”

Bringing her passion for science into the classroom, Dr. Bhattacharya would go on to spend 25 years at South. In that time, she has taught Biology, Biology Honors, and AP Biology. To her, the students were the best part of the job.

“The students in the school really keep me on my toes. Class discussions are the things I really enjoy,” said Dr. Bhattacharya. “I also enjoy interacting with them outside of the school, in club settings, because you see them in a different character.”

In both the classroom and as the advisor of Waksman Club and Science Olympiad, she emphasized the importance of relying on evidence and reasoning. “I hope they’ve learned that science is important,” said Dr. Bhattacharya. “We don’t just make conclusions from the top of our heads just because we think so, it should be based on data.”

But in addition to science, she wants her students to learn beyond the classroom. “You need to do the best you can and try to lead a little bit of a well-rounded life, in the sense that just studying and doing well in academics is not the only thing in life,” said Dr. Bhattacharya. “There’s more than that.”

Ms. Elsa Lapidus

She is known as the “grandmother.” She has food if you need it. For Ms. Lapidus, her 24 years at South were dedicated to helping students that weren’t always tied to academics. That mindset came as a parent of South students.

She has three children who all attended South. This was how she first came to know the school community, occasionally working as a parent volunteer.

After being offered a job by the special education director, Ms. Lapidus joined the pirate ship as an instructional assistant. Throughout her time here, she worked in various positions. Although she was never an official teacher, she prides herself in her passion for helping others.

“My favorite memories were helping students, helping them achieve what they wanted to achieve. Some have had difficulties. I’ve helped them so they can pass certain classes. I once helped some boys pass their health class years ago,” said Ms. Lapidus. “There are a lot of things you might not normally do, but I did it because of my love with the students.”

Through that love, she developed close bonds with students. Those bonds were not temporary, but long-lasting which added to the depth of passion she found for her job. Even after they’ve graduated, she’s recognized the value she’s had to others.

“I still occasionally run into former students. They talk to me and go over things and tell me how much I’m appreciated,” said Ms. Lapidus. “Then you know that what you did was all worth it.”

Ms. Cheryl Smith

Even when she was busy in her office with endless piles of papers from the College Board for AP testing, Ms. Smith was working hard to support her students as their counselor.

Although she is leaving South after 20 years, she has a sense of fulfillment at what she gained from her time here. “I was always learning. I was never bored. I was never on my own,” said Ms. Smith. “I think that’s the most important thing about being part of this team. We don’t do things in isolation, and they are supportive and caring.”

“That counts for the success of each other and the students, and that’s what I will miss a lot.”

For her, one of the most rewarding parts of her job was learning about the different cultures and backgrounds of her students.

“They would bring me things from their culture. I had students that brought me food that they would make. So I got to try all those different things. I just wish I could remember it all,” said Ms. Smith. “It opened my mind and I remember my students for that, for showing me who they really were.”

She hopes that all the people she has taught and met will continue to be resilient after she retires. “I think tough times are meant to make us capable in ways that we might not have had that chance,” said Ms. Smith. “Always remember – once a pirate, always a pirate.”

Ms. Michelle Walsh

A golf coach, teacher, class advisor and counselor. These are various positions Ms. Walsh has had over the last 25 years at South in her official capacity as a counselor.

“I always loved working with kids,” said Ms. Walsh. “I taught for 13 years, but the longer I taught, the more I worked with the counselors at my first school, I used to look at what they did and think that would be a cool job too.”

Eventually, an opportunity presented itself to her to become a counselor at South through her previous advisor. “When I moved here, I wasn’t only coming to a new school, but I was changing my role in the school. So this made it double scary,” said Ms. Walsh. “But now I have to tell you, school counselors are the best job in the building.”

Becoming a counselor allowed Ms. Walsh to embrace a community that she was initially hesitant to join. “I loved being a class advisor and I loved coaching because I got to see these kids in a different light,” said Ms. Walsh. “In my roles, I met students I might not have met because they weren’t necessarily on my caseload, or in homecoming decorations, or prom.”

She described herself as a “people person,” striving to help her students grow. Despite the challenges they face, she offered an optimistic perspective for their future.

“I hope they recognize their strengths and everything they have to offer,” said Ms. Walsh. “Because everybody has something to offer.