Greg Schell, a well known Biology and Anatomy teacher, is about to finish his last year here at BV West. He started teaching in the 1970s, and has decided to retire at the end of the school year. Many students are going to miss Mr. Schell, but they will cherish experiences they had in his classroom. The decision has been made, though, and starting next year someone else will take over his class.
“It’s hard to leave such a good school with great kids,” Schell said. “I’m going to miss all the different personalities”.
The students are a large part of what Schell is going to miss the most. After teaching for such a long time, the kids have become a large part of his life. He has been around them so long, it’s going to be difficult to make the transition to a retired life. He made the decision, however, keeping in mind the things he was going to have to give up.
“My wife is retiring as well, and we decided to go ahead and do it together,” Schell said. “Along with that, I’ve had some health issues recently that are making things [difficult].”
Schell’s health issues haven’t halted his teaching though, and they have been kept relatively private.
He did a great job of keeping his private life separate from his school life, and formed good relationships with the students around BV West.
“Mr. Schell was a great teacher,” sophomore Jackson Knappen said. “He was always there before school when I needed him, and he always made sure I understood what we were learning.”
Schell’s fantastic teaching abilities have earned him one of the most prestigious awards Kansas gives out. He is being inducted into the Kansas Teachers Hall of Fame, something few teachers at West have been awarded. His many years of teaching have paid off, and his love for his job really contributed to the award.
“It’s a huge honor,” Schell said. “It’s also very humbling, though, because only about 10 people get in every year”
Schell was nominated for the hall of fame by a teacher here at BV West. Ken Bingman, an AP Bio and biology teacher, nominated Schell for the high honor. Bingman and Schell have been friends for a long time, and the nomination was something Bingman knew Schell deserved.
“It was neat of him to nominate me,” Schell said. “We’ve known each other since 1985. I’ve been working with him for quite a long time now”
Schell is one of only 272 teachers to be inducted into the Kansas Teachers Hall of Fame. The organization is dedicated to Kansas teachers and pioneering education. It’s very selective, and a huge honor for BV West to have had a teacher like Mr. Schell teach.
“The kids make me laugh so much,” Schell said. “I’m really going to miss it”
The students and staff here at BV West will definitely miss Mr. Schell as well. His imprint on the science department will have a lasting effect, and he will always be remembered as a great teacher at BV West. He is off to spend quality time with his wife though, and his decision to retire was one that was carefully contemplated. One thing is for sure, the memories of Greg Schell and the kids long with his experiences in the classroom will last a lifetime.