The CHIEF May 2019

Retiring from PTHS

By Joseph Gilmor

As the end of the school year approaches, it is time for us all to say goodbye to the Class of 2019, along with four beloved staff members who have announced their retirement at the end of this year. Before we wave bon voyage to these talented individuals, why don’t we take the time to get to know a little bit about them? Mrs. Anne Mund, a valuable member of our school cafeteria staff, is one of four retirees this year. It’s certain that she will be missed in the lunchroom, as the talented PTHS kitchen staff members have been together for many years. Mrs. Mund is one of a small group of women who have contributed their time not only to serving and preparing lunch for students throughout the week, but also to crafting delicious meals for school events such as the PTHS Music Awards Night. Mrs. Kris Stahler has been a part of the PTHS family working as a paraprofessional for the past 25 years. She has been working alongside Mrs. Christenson in the Adaptive Living classroom for the past several years, and she has made a huge impact on the lives of her students. When asked what she will miss the most about PTHS, she said, “mostly I will miss my students and all the great teachers I have had the pleasure to work with.” As her time working here at PTHS winds down, she looks forward to spending her retirement going on trips, gardening, and spending time with her grandkids! We will all miss the positivity that Mrs. Stahler has brought to PTHS, and we wish her well in her retirement! Mr. Chuck Prong has been teaching at PTHS for 33 years, and he has thoroughly enjoyed every one of them. Born in Rochester, New York, in 1958, Mr. Prong attended East Rochester High School before earning his first degree in Data Processing and Computer Sciences at Monroe Community College. Mr. Prong would go on to earn two more degrees in Auto Technology, earning his master’s at the University of St. Francis. Throughout his PTHS experience, Mr. Prong has learned that there are “always two sides to every story”, and encourages current students to avoid procrastination and focus hard on their studies. For the last 10 years, Mrs. Ruth Ann Rodino has been teaching nursing in the LACC. Mrs. Rodino was born in Cornell, and attended Cornell High School before earning her Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing at Northern Illinois University. As a high school student, Mrs. Rodino was highly involved within her school, participating in numerous extracurricular activities such as Student Council, FHA, and 4-H. When asked what made her career special, Mrs. Rodino stated it was the chance to make many new friends she never would have met in a different field. Mrs. Rodino says she has experienced quite the adventure over the past 10 years, but is ready to move on to something different. She encourages all of her students to take responsibility for their actions and learn from their mistakes, and can’t wait to see what the next stage of her life holds.

Although things will never quite be the same around PTHS without four of our beloved faculty and staff members, we at The Chief would like to wish them the best of luck in their future endeavors, and are forever