Two of Hempfield High School’s beloved teachers, Mrs. Vicidomini and Mrs. Thompson have said goodbye after deciding to retire at the end of the school year. Many students have stated how sad they are going to be walking in next year and seeing that two of their favorite teachers will not be here, but that they hope the two of them will enjoy retirement.
Mrs. Thompson is a Chemistry teacher and has been teaching since 1991, always knowing that she wanted to be a teacher. Interestingly enough, she started out wanting to be a dance teacher or gym teacher, but when she was able to help someone pass chemistry in eleventh grade, she knew that being a chemistry teacher was what she wanted to do! Quote, “It felt really good being able to help someone”. Of course, Mrs. Thompson is an amazing teacher and says she would love it if all of her students would like to become chemists, however she knows that that isn’t true. Instead, she wants her students to learn good studying and life skills to be successful, while also learning chemistry. Aside from being a chemistry teacher, Mrs. Thompson was also the yearbook advisor for thirty-two years, and only stopped within the last couple of years! She also exclaimed that she chose to be a high school teacher because she wants to make connections with her students and really make a difference. And many students can attest to this as well.
I once had a student who hated chemistry, and said that she hated it everyday, but on the last day of school she came and brought me flowers, and thanked me. She said that by having me as a teacher, she learned the type of person that she wanted to be because I treated her like everyone else, no matter what. -Mrs. Thompson
In her retirement, Mrs. Thompson plans to volunteer and would love to volunteer at a nursing home. She stayed consistent throughout the school year by being involved with her church, and is excited to get more involved with the community. She definitely still plans to visit school events like concerts and musicals, so make sure that you’re on the lookout for her! Students have admired Mrs. Thompson for always remaining supportive, willing to help however she can, and keeping a positive attitude during the year. She also calls on students to,
“Take advantage of everything that Hempfield has to offer, it is a great school with many opportunities. Some classes that we have or things that we do aren’t even offered at other schools so it is really great to get involved!”
Lastly, Mrs. Thompson would like to say to students, “…try your best. Whether you like the subject or not, learn to overcome not liking something and still doing your best”.
Mrs. Vicidomini is a ninth grade English teacher who started teaching at Hempfield in 1993. She grew up unsure of what she had wanted to do, though both of her parents had been teachers. It wasn’t until her first English class in college that she considered going into teaching, and even wanted to teach elementary at first! Originally she started out coaching basketball in New York City, but moved back home to start teaching and support her mom when she was sick. She reflects that she really loves being around young minds, and likes teaching freshmen more than upper classmen because they bring a certain lively energy, and tend to live more in the moment. In her time here, Mrs. V has coached JV girls basketball, volunteers with the Unified Track Club– noting that it is fabulous and has loved every minute of it, and participates in the Thursday Club with Dr. Becker, Mini-THON, and the GSA Club! She believes that clubs and opportunities after school are enrichment and allows her to connect more, also stating that watching students participate in things outside of school allows her to be able to appreciate their athletic, music, and dance gifts more.
On Hempfield as a whole, Mrs. V commented, “Hempfield is a great school, it has a great administration, great students in the classroom, and I’m very proud to be associated with the school”. Furthermore, she noted how exceptional and supportive her colleagues are, and how grateful she is to have built strong connections with them. Mrs. V would like to tell her students that, “We can do hard things!” and does not want a student to be scared to try. She encourages them to try because, “with support, they can do so much, and are capable of so much learning, and experiencing literature”.
After retiring Mrs. Vicidomini isn’t sure what she would like to focus on but rather, is seeing “where the wind takes her”. She has first mentioned wanting to learn a new instrument or go back to playing piano, secondly taking a few art classes, and lastly volunteering either at her church or somewhere else. Mrs. V also ended by quoting Dr. Seuss saying, “‘Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened’”. She used this to reflect on her time and experiences teaching with a smile, while also remembering to look forward to what is to come.
Mrs. V and Mrs. Thompson both took some time to reflect on how teaching has changed for them throughout the years, for better and for worse as well. Mrs. Thompson mentioned how crazy, yet amazing technology is and how useful it can be in an academic setting as well as everyday settings. However, she warns that it can take away from fun class experiences as students might’ve already seen bigger or better things, especially regarding chemistry. Mrs. Vicidomini noted the shift in how teaching used to be more about enforcing rules, how classes were much more rigorous, and even how there used to be much more homework! Still, now there is more of an emphasis on connecting with students, and teaching less material while getting to explore a deeper level.
Both Mrs. Thompson and Mrs. V are extremely excited for this new chapter in their lives and we wish these amazing teachers the best of luck! Thank you Mrs. Vicidomini and Mrs. Thompson for all of the long hours, socratic seminars, chemistry labs, thoughtful lesson plans, and encouragement you gave to your students and colleagues everyday. You both have forever impacted Hempfield High School and will be missed dearly!
