One day students glanced around the room wondering where their math teacher was. On day two, they were still wondering, but got word their teacher was at a doctor’s appointment. Then came the unexpected news. 

Math teacher Douglas Spayd retired this year in mid-March. Caleb Marasco took over his classes. Spayd taught honors geometry and Advanced Placement (AP) Statistics. 

Marasco taught a lower level geometry class, but he did not teach an AP. However, he did teach a half-year statistics course. 

“I’m spending a lot of time going back and re-studying and relearning everything, so I can prepare AP statistics students for the test. I have studied statistics, but there are a lot of definitions to go back and learn,” Marasco said. 

According to Marasco, he made connections with his students. He said it was hard for both him and his students when the change was made. 

“The most difficult part of this situation was the relationships you make with those students being strained. It’s kind of tough because they have a hard switch trying to learn a new teacher. Leaving them so close to the end of the year was probably one of the most difficult parts,” Marasco said. 

Sophomore Eli Rosenberry was in Spayd’s honors geometry class. 

“I don’t think it was fair to Marasco’s students, just as it wasn’t really fair to us losing Mr. Spayd. It’s hard to adjust to a new teaching style so late in the year and so close to finals as well,” Rosenberry said. 

Robert Smith took over for Marasco’s classes. Smith specializes in social studies classes, but he said he has no trouble teaching math. 

“Overall, they already knew me. Most of them have already had me in class, so they knew I could be funny. And that can be nice. It took a couple of days for the math department to get together and figure everything out because his leaving was unexpected for a lot of people. So we had to move around a lot of schedules and adjust a couple of classes,” Smith said. 

Isabel Anello had Marasco as a teacher before Smith took over. She believes that despite the change in teacher, her education was not significantly impacted.

“I knew Mr. Smith because he was my substitute multiple times, and that’s how I got to know him. But when Marasco left, it was  hard on everyone because  we were so used to him and going to his class and having a very chill class,” Anello said.

Rosenberry believes Spayd was a fantastic teacher who had an incredible impact on his life. 

“He was a great teacher, and it’s definitely sad to see him go, especially a little bit earlier than he could have. He’s definitely positively impacted my life. He made sure I was doing my work. He made sure that I was present and in class; he always had a good attitude and made me have a good attitude,” junior Tyler Kowalski said. 

Despite the change for Spayd’s old classes, Marasco believes the students will still do well on their finals. 

“If you give them the confidence to do something, then they will pretty much be able to do anything you want them to try. And it’s all about relationships you make with the students that will impact their education,” Marasco said.