As the school year comes to a close, our seniors aren’t the only ones we’ll be saying goodbye to; longtime Social Studies teacher Mrs. Ventura is getting ready to start a new chapter of her life in retirement.
Mrs. Ventura’s journey at Sewanhaka began 30 years ago. During that time, she has taught 7th, 8th, 9th, and 12th grade, and also serves as the advisor of Model UN for five years. Additionally, she has coached JH, JV, and Varsity basketball, as well as JV Soccer, and JV lacrosse.
When asked about her favorite experience with coaching, Mrs. Ventura shared, “For each sport, I love watching everyone’s talent grow from the beginning to the end, and [everyone] coming together as a team and a family… I think it’s so important and fun.”
One of Mrs. Ventura’s most memorable moments also came from her time coaching Varsity basketball. “…when my varsity [basketball] team went to the semifinals against Floral Park, which was versus my old coach. That was pretty memorable. We lost, but we got there.”
Asides from being close to her home, something else that drew Mrs. Ventura to Sewanhaka is its diversity, through which she has been able to learn about many different cultures.
For the past 25 years, Mrs. Ventura has primarily taught 7th grade, with occasional exceptions. “Probably about 25 years… and then I would have like four 7th grade [classes] and one 9th, or four 7th and a 12th, so it’d be sprinkled in.”
Teaching 7th grade has been especially meaningful for Mrs. Ventura. “I love having seventh graders first because they don’t know what’s going on, and I get to make it exciting and fun for them.”
As many of us may already know from time being in her class, Mrs. Ventura swears by handwritten notes. She says, “The notes have to continue. You know I love those notes.”
For future teachers, Mrs. Ventura offers the following advice: “Have patience. Sometimes you’ll lose it. It’s okay. Come back to it. Deep breaths and talk to your colleagues.”
In her newfound free time, Mrs. Ventura is planning on “…traveling, and planning on traveling.” Moreover, she’ll be spending time helping organize her daughter’s wedding, who just recently got engaged. (Congratulations!!)
Mrs. Ventura’s message for her students and the Sewanhaka community is to, “[Be] kind to one another. Be happy and be a good person. That’s what I want to leave. Love one another.”
To conclude, Dr. Simone also shared his thoughts. “Having served as Mrs. Ventura’s chairperson for the past five years, I have observed a teacher whose commitment to her students is nothing short of extraordinary. She works tirelessly to ensure that every young person feels welcomed, nurtured, supported, and challenged to achieve their full academic potential. Compassion for others is embedded in her DNA. I could provide an endless stream of anecdotal stories to illustrate how Mrs. Ventura always goes above and beyond to make her classroom a special and memorable place for all students. She is universally revered by her colleagues and will be sorely missed next year”
On the behalf of the Sewanhaka family, The Raven’s Quill wishes Mrs. Ventura a happy, eventful, and restful retirement!
