Gabby Tropp ‘16
EE Staff Writer
Two of Trumbull High School’s most beloved teachers are retiring at the end of this school year. Mr. Smith, probably the most unconventional English teacher ever, is leaving after 23 years at Trumbull High. Madame Perusi, department chairperson of the foreign language department and French teacher for 36 years, is closing this chapter of her life as well. The absence of these two amazing teachers will be felt throughout the entire THS community.
Mr. Smith had a pretty long journey before settling on teaching, which included working as a carpenter. Students who have had Mr. Smith as a teacher know that the year starts off with the basic premises that all literature is about how to be human, and that none of the students in the class are fully human.
Lindsey McMorris, who had Mr. Smith her freshman year, says, “His unorthodox class has been one of the most memorable experiences I have ever had…He is insightful and wise…[and] very understanding about people and life in general.”
Many of his students can be caught expressing the sentiment that a “B” in the class is a good grade, because they feel they learned from the process. His interesting classes and teaching methods will stick with his students far after leaving his class. Looking into his future retirement, Mr. Smith says, “I’m not making plans; any plans I make aren’t really plans, they’re guesses.”
Madame Perusi is known to be an incredible French teacher. She has been studying the language since high school, and began teaching it straight out of college. Her biggest challenge as a teacher has been “to really instill confidence [in her students] to go out and use the language.”
Her students know how hard she has worked to achieve this goal. Cammy Kimball, a senior in her AP French class, said, “She really likes what she teaches. She really wants us to do well and work hard.”
Madame Perusi wants her students to share her love of the language, but that’s not the extent of her interest in their lives.
“She is really invested in us…and she asks us a lot of questions about our lives,” says senior Annie Stachura “…Sometimes we sit in a circle and just talk about life in French.”
As a teacher with so much interest in her students, it’s understandable that she said what she’ll miss most is being around young people. Mrs. Perusi’s plans for the next few years include travelling.