NPHS students will miss their beloved teachers
Steve Johnson, Newbury Park High School history teacher, is retiring after 39 impactful years of teaching. Johnson has been a dedicated teacher at NPHS for 29 years, head varsity boys’ basketball coach from 1994 to 2009 and assistant coach for the boys’ varsity basketball team.
Johnson has prioritized many goals throughout his career, making sure each and every one of his students find success inside and outside the classroom, as well as creating a supportive environment that is conducive to learning. “Regardless of the title [of the class, it has] become groups of students that grow together and become almost like a family… I think I’ve found value and joy in all of the classes I’ve taught. I very much enjoy teaching what I’m teaching right now, that’s for sure,” Johnson said.
Johnson makes a point of getting involved in the school community to get to know his students. “Sometimes by seeing someone in performing arts for instance, you really come to appreciate what someone is capable of and [it] helps to improve the relationship that you have in the classroom. Not every conversation in the classroom is about a grade or something that may not be the most positive thing that people want to reflect on,” Johnson said.
One of many students Johnson’s huge heart has impacted is Emily Taketa, a current first-year medical student at University of California of San Francisco and NPHS graduate of 2017. “[I] remember from high school just having community and camaraderie in his classes because of how he approached each student. I really feel like with students, he invests so much more than [a] typical teacher, he really invested in you as a person, much more than you as just a student,” Taketa said. Taketa further noted how many other alumni fondly look back on the days spent in his classroom, not necessarily because of the history lessons he taught, but due to the environment he created. “He [is] the heart of NPHS; he [has the] kind of a classroom we call home.”
Michelle Saremi, adviser of the NPHS Panther Prowler newspaper, Pawprint yearbook and English teacher, is a good friend and neighbor of Johnson. She has observed his ability to form connections with community members primarily through his involvement in school extracurriculars. “He is really connected with our community… but not just as a teacher. He’s formed those bonds beyond our campus, which I don’t think a lot of teachers easily do,” Saremi said. He is such a core member of the staff that Saremi calls him a local celebrity. “My kids love hanging with Mr. J at our local restaurants–they say he’s famous because he knows everyone. And he’s famous because he is an exceptional human being,” Saremi said.
While he’s going to miss teaching at NPHS, he’s also looking forward to what’s next. “I’m looking forward to traveling during times in the schools session. I’ll be able to travel in say October and November, and be able to stay a little longer and explore different parts of the world that I haven’t been [to] and most of my family is on the East Coast now. So I will probably spend a fair amount of time there but I also hope to be in the community and keep an eye on what’s happening at 456 N. Reino Rd, and check up on everybody from time to time,” Johnson said.
Johnson has had an immeasurable impact on the school; finding joy in many of the aspects that come along with teaching. “ [I’m going to miss] the relationships I have with my colleagues [and] the students, getting to know them and seeing them thrive and being a part of their journey that I’ll definitely miss but at the same time, I feel like I’m ready for some new adventures too. I think anything that’s valuable, of course you’re gonna miss it and anything you’ve enjoyed doing, you’re gonna miss it but I think it’s time for some new things to do,” Johnson said.
Lucia Lemieux, creative writing and 12th grade English teacher, is retiring after working at NPHS for 16 years. Throughout her life, Lemieux has been a poet, an author, a librarian and a teacher. Her classroom has always been a creative environment, and will be missed on campus.
Whilst she may have ended up teaching, it was not always her intention. Coming from a line of teachers, including her mother, sister and brother-in-law, Lemieux was familiar with the territory, and spent most of her life fighting against it. “I was determined never to be a teacher, but it just is in the genes. You can’t help it,” Lemieux said.
During her time at NPHS, Lemieux was an active member in many programs. She’s led GSA, been a union representative and she’s tried to attend as many school performances as possible, with an interest in visual and performing arts. “I love] seeing the kids in my various classes singing in the choir or performing on the stage or dancing, I love that too so I try to go to as many as I can,” Lemieux said. Most recently in her creative writing class, she worked on a collaboration along with theater teacher Marilyn Strange and photography and media teacher Derek Grimes. The collaboration entailed her passion, screenwriting, and the creation of short films. “So it’ll be the highlight swan song of my career, I guess you could say,” Lemieux said.
In retirement, Lemieux will be doing anything but retiring. She will be working on books and screenplays, a job she had prior to being a teacher. “[Teaching] is much more meaningful because I feel like as a teacher, you’re helping the world in a way that you couldn’t help them otherwise,” Lemieux said. Through her creative mind, she will be missed. “I would say for all students and for me and for everybody. I love carpe diem. Seize the day. Let your lives be extraordinary.” Lemieux said.
Sylvia Cohen, Special Education, Personal Finance and Algebra A and B teacher, has been teaching for 25 years and has spent 20 of those years here at NPHS. Before she decided she wanted to become a teacher, Cohen had an office job for a couple of years, but after having kids decided that that job was not a good fit. “I started elementary school because I liked younger kids, but then I realized I actually connect better with the older kids,” Cohen said.
When Cohen realized she would be a better fit working in high school, there was an opening at NPHS, which she took and has not regretted since. “Everybody was just so friendly and nice and I just really enjoyed the work here and the people here and I thought ‘I could stay here for the rest of my career’,” Cohen said.
During her years of teaching, Cohen has had many great experiences, some of her favorites being when she “sees that somebody understands the content and working with kids that way especially as we get to know families a little bit and building those relationships,” Cohen said, “and seeing students come in as freshmen and graduate as seniors and just the change and growth in students.”
In the Math for Personal Finance class that Cohen teaches, the students learn how to apply math to real world situations. Even after Cohen retires, she would like students and teachers to remember her and her impact on them. “I hope they think of me as somebody that was professional…I cared about my students and I wanted them to have high expectations, and I wanted my students to succeed,” Cohen said.
