When the clock strikes 9:45 next Friday, school will be out, and summer will have begun. While students look forward to months full of relaxing in the sun, visiting exotic destinations and working summer internships, what exactly are teachers planning to do during their summer? Will they continue working by preparing for the next school year? Or will they venture out and keep life exciting?
Carmel High teachers Jason Maas-Baldwin, Whitney Grummon, Brian Granbery, Marc Stafford and Mike Deckelmann are planning to have a “staff meeting” the third week of July at the annual Telluride Bluegrass Festival.
“We are all renting a big three-story house together during the festival,” math teacher Deckelmann says.
A variety of artists will perform at the festival, including Jackson Browne and Mumford and Sons.
English teacher Carli Barnett is also planning to enjoy music this summer. She is attending the High Sierra Music Festival in Quincy, Calif., which she calls the “highlight of her summer.”
Science teacher Maas-Baldwin is going to be attending a different type of festival this summer as well. In between caring for his newborn daughter and enjoying music at the Telluride Festival, Maas-Baldwin will be attending the Comic Con Festival in San Diego with his wife.
“The festival is the largest comic festival in the nation,” notes Maas-Baldwin of the event consisting of four days filled with comic artists and authors.
English teacher Grummon is planning to describe her family travels in a book. The Grummon family has ventured to six different continents over six summers, including countries like Peru, Thailand and New Zealand.
Science teacher Joe Mello also has travel plans, but not nearly as far. He is planning a three-week road trip across California, starting from San Diego and ending in Northern California.
After finishing up a year of teaching video production to his students, video and science teacher Granbery is ready to utilize his skills.
“I’m going to be working on a documentary about the desert trip,” says Granbery, who has been an active member on the trip and has decided to document his work this summer.
While many teachers are looking forward to trips to far away from high school, history and psychology teacher Nora Ward is planning to revisit her own high school memories.
“I’m hoping to attend my 20th high school reunion in Hawaii,” Ward says.
History teacher Bill Schrier is also planning to include school this summer. His summer involves grading AP World History exams in Salt Lake City and attending a week-long institute for his new course in AP Human Geography.
Like students who are filling out their applications for their dream summer job, science teacher Mike Guardino was hired for an amazing summer experience. This summer, he is going to be spending two months in the wilderness as a backcountry forest ranger in KingsCanyonNaturalPark, famous for its fishing holes, backpacking spots and hiking trails.
-SASHA POLOVNEFF
