Neil Guttler:

It is hard to put into words the impact Special Education teacher Neil Guttler has made on students. From English to math to history to physical education, in his 36 years teaching, Guttler has truly done it all.

“You could say I practice everything, but I’m a master at none,” Guttler said.

Although he says he has not mastered any single subject, he is clearly doing something right as over the years he has impacted the lives of thousands of students. His modesty shines through when speaking to him, but it is clear that he has made a lasting impact on the halls of our school.

Guttler has amazing hopes for post-retirement, though nothing is set in stone. His ambitions range from moving to Ohio and volunteering at a school to going on long camping trips and traveling the world and possibly taking interest in storytelling. Whatever it may be, there is no doubt that he will have a smile on his face and a good attitude about it all.

“I try to remain positive in everything I do. Teaching is ending and soon the next thing will end, but having a good attitude is so important,” Guttler said.

Not only has Guttler made an impact on the school, but the school has had an impact on him. Over the years he has been truly astonished by the support he has gotten from his colleagues and the respect he has gotten from students.

“Coming to Yorktown was like coming to heaven for me. Not every job I have had has been so amazing and such a good community. The teachers here are like nowhere else and I could not speak more highly of them,” Guttler said.

Guttler has had his fair share of experiences over his career and wishes to leave the students and faculty of the school with one final piece of advice.

“You have two ears and one tongue so listen twice as much as you speak and you will be successful.”

Theresa Warner:

As the school year is coming to a close, it is important to look back and remember all of those who have impacted our community that will not be returning next year. Special Education teacher Theresa Warner has a huge amount of love for the school in her heart, but will unfortunately be saying goodbye to the halls of Yorktown come June. After 20 years of teaching, Warner has definitely made a huge impact on the lives of countless students and it will be hard to imagine the school without her.

Warner will miss the school almost as much as the school will miss her; it is hard for her to imagine not being greeted by her students each morning. Though she will be retiring, Warner will not stop impacting the lives of others. She has no set plans yet, but hopes to do volunteer work and continue helping others.

Warner truly has nothing but love for her students, and knowing that she made an impact on their lives is an incredibly rewarding feeling.

“I love going to the graduation every year and just seeing all the students that I taught and I know they will all go on to do great things,” Warner said.

Warner has become a motherly figure to both students and faculty here at our school with her comfortable office and warm heart. She also offers a piece of very motherly advice to the entire school community.

“I just want everyone to know that everything is fleeting, both good and bad. Don’t take happiness for granted, but don’t dwell in the hard parts of life. Enjoy what you have as you may not have it forever,” Warner said.  

Warner’s presence will be missed at Yorktown, and entire community thanks her deeply for all she has done.

Maria Verastegui:

For 20 years, Spanish teacher Maria Verastegui has been working at Yorktown. This year, however, will be her last; Verastegui will be retiring at the end of the year.

Retirement will allow Verastegui to devote more time to her family, volunteer work and travel. She has recently been studying Italian and is looking forward to putting it to use by traveling to Italy. Her bucket list is growing — she wants to travel around, but hopes that retirement will allow her to experience many new opportunities as they come about.

If you have ever studied Spanish at Yorktown, you have likely crossed paths with Verastegui and her lively way of teaching, and also know her pet peeve of when students take out their cell phones.

“If I could give a teacher any piece of advice it would be don’t let your students take out their phones,” Verastegui said laughing.

Over the years, Verastegui’s positive attitude and loving smile has made a lasting impact on the entire Yorktown community.

Eva Lilienthal:

Over the years teachers have come and gone from the lives of students. When remembering the teachers that made the biggest influence, the name Eva Lilienthal comes to mind. Though not all students will know this name, Lilienthal is continuously changing the lives of many students.

As a Special Education teacher and psychologist, Lilienthal has had the opportunity to work with students on a more personal level, helping them cope with whatever they may be dealing with. Her work at Yorktown often goes unnoticed because she has a somewhat hidden office, however she is truly the glue that holds the school together.

Lilienthal has a special place in her heart for all the students that have come and gone, as well as all the faculty, but she is ready to spend some time focusing on herself and is excited for retirement.

“I have a long list of to-do’s, but nothing too exciting. I plan to do some traveling, but most importantly just spend time with myself and get some chores done around the house,”  Lilienthal said.

Lilienthal will no doubt have a peaceful retirement. Before she packs up her office and says goodbye for a final time, she offers some final words of wisdom.

“Always listen. Always have an open heart. There is no limit to what you can do if you have a smile on your face and a good attitude,” said Lilienthal.

This positive attitude Lilienthal has had to offer over her time at the school, will truly make the whole community miss her presence.

Greer Putnam:

Greer Putnam, current advanced placement (AP) statistics and algebra II teacher, is retiring after 16 years of teaching. This was Putnam’s first teaching job after being in the Navy for 32 years.

“When I first started [teaching] I was a career switcher, so I didn’t go through all of the college classes that you normally go through to become a teacher. I had several math teachers really help me out getting started my first two years, particularly Kate Rooney,” Putnam said about his first years of teaching.

A beloved teacher, Putnam always puts his students first and emphasizes that they are the reason he loves his job.

“If you’re interested in what you’re teaching and you enjoy students, those things coming together make it a very satisfying experience,” Putnam said.

Putnam’s decision to retire has not been easy but he knows it’s time.

“I’ve done a lot of thinking and praying about it for over a year and I just decided finally about a week ago,” Putnam said.

Regarding what he will do with his time off, Putnam has many plans of travel and spending time with family.

“I’ve been involved with a church mission in Haiti since 2007 so I’m going to go down with a group from Vienna to do some staff development at a mission school. Also, I haven’t played the piano since I was in high school so I would like to see if I could still play it and I have three grandchildren and one on the way [that I want to spend more time with].” Putnam said.

Putnam’s years of teaching algebra I, II, math analysis trigonometry and AP statistics have been full of good experiences and his caring and helpful attitude will be missed by countless students and faculty.

Sharon Starck: 

After teaching since 1969 and being here since the 1980’s, Sharon Starck, English resource teacher, is set to retire. Starck will miss the students and teachers she got to work closely with and is excited to spend more time with her family. Starck’s patient and helpful hand in the classroom will be missed as she is a great addition to the staff.