Severns and Weidman retire
Severns, a school counselor, is retiring after 25 years of being on staff. Severns worked as a math teacher at Thousand Oaks High School before switching over to NPHS in 1997 to work as part of the original counselor staff. In addition to being a counselor for the school for so many years, he was also a member of Newbury Park High School’s first graduating class of 1969. “There is no question I will miss our students, faculty, counselors, administrators and parents,” said Severns. “(However), it is time to step aside and let a younger counselor sit in the office I occupy.”
After Severns decided to retire, the school went through an extensive interview process to find a replacement for him. Their decision is now waiting for board approval. “I have more of a past than a future, and I hope my replacement has more of a future than a past,” said Severns.
Joshua Eby, principal, is bittersweet about Severns’ upcoming retirement. “I’ve known Mr. Severns for 10 years now and I’m really happy for him to move into retirement,” Eby said. “He’s definitely earned it with all of his dedication to our school, but I am sad (because) he’s a good resource for me as a new principal because he has a lot of institutional memories of NPHS.”
Mr. Severns isn’t the only staff member retiring this year. Amy Weidman, Chinese teacher, is also retiring. Earlier this year, Weidman was deciding between retiring to Vancouver, Canada as a missionary or moving to a new house in Thousand Oaks while continuing to teach at NPHS.
Early second semester, she made the decision to retire and move to Vancouver with her husband, where they will work as Christian Missionaries to help international students at the University of British Columbia adjust to their new environment.
“I love Newbury Park High School, so it’s really sad for me to leave the community because I used to think I would grow old here and die here (because) I already chose my burial site,” Weidman said. “But on the other hand, because of the new inspiration ahead of us, it’s a very interesting and challenging task.”
Nicole Thompson, junior, has mixed feelings about Weidman retiring. “She will be missed when she retires. I am happy and hope to keep in contact with her (because) she wasn’t just a teacher, she actually bonded with the students and I feel that the Chinese program will deeply miss her.”
Eby has been contacted by a few possible teachers who are interested in teaching Mandarin and taking Weidman’s position, but the interviews have yet to be scheduled.
